After reading both Sunday commentaries concerning Initiative 1053, I have to wonder what world Andrew Villeneuve lives in because it surely bears no resemblance to mine. He is quick to quote Article II, Section 22 of the state Constitution, which says that the standard for passage of all legislation shall be a majority vote.
He conveniently ignores Article I, Section 2, which says that “the people reserve to themselves the power to propose bills, laws, and to enact or reject the same at the polls.” Those same proposals are enacted or rejected by a majority vote.
I believe that all three previous measures survived legal challenges, so the courts do not agree with Mr. Villeneuve that I-1053 is unconstitutional. His argument is doubly insulting to voters because he believes that it is simply a matter of money spent that passes these measures. Wake up, sir, 1053 will be passed by a large majority of voters because our money-hungry Legislature refuses to set priorities that match what the taxpayers want.
The first priority of government must be public safety, not chandeliers at a sewage plant or art affixed to a runway that can only be seen by squirrels and blue jays. Money must go to education and roads and bridges, not to a totally dysfunctional cash eater like DSHS or a hotel for drunks in Seattle. Money should be going to EMS services, not to welfare and routine medical care for illegals. We cannot afford the world where Mr. Villeneuve resides.
Phil Bate
Lynnwood
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