New Guide to Initiatives 1100 and 1105 Offers Helpful Comparison of Measures to Privatize Liquor Sales
Contact: John Barnes
jbarnes@washingtonpolicy.org
206-937-9691
Seattle – Confused about the differences between Initiatives 1100 and 1105? Washington Policy Center, the state’s premier public policy think tank, has released a Citizens’ Guide to Initiatives 1100 and 1105 to help media and the public understand the two measures and their differences.
Legal Analysis by Former State Supreme Court Justice says I-1098 Income Tax is Unconstitutional
Seattle - A new legal analysis written for Washington Policy Center by respected former state Supreme Court Justice Phil Talmadge finds that, if passed by voters this November, Initiative 1098 would likely be ruled unconstitutional by the state Supreme Court.
Justice Talmadge was a state Supreme Court Justice from 1995-2001 and served as a Democratic member of the State Senate from 1979-1995, where he chaired the Judiciary and Health Care Committees.
New Report Details Recent Tax Increases that Will Cost Washingtonians More than $6.7 Billion over Next Ten Years
Seattle – Washington Policy Center (WPC) has released a report detailing the tax increases passed during the 2010 Legislative Session. The Report on 2010 Tax Increases in Washington State provides a description of each tax increase and a breakdown of the ten-year burden each increase places on citizens.
After temporarily repealing Initiative 960’s requirement for a two-thirds legislative vote to raise taxes and many of its public disclosure requirements, lawmakers raised taxes by $800 million. The taxes included:
Washington Policy Center to Publish Initiative 960 Voters' Guide
Olympia – In the wake of a bill on its way to Governor Gregoire implementing a two-year repeal of Initiative 960, Washington Policy Center today announced it will publish the public disclosure information that would have appeared in the voters' pamphlet if Initiative 960 had remained in place.
Passed by voters in 2007, Initiative 960 required a two-thirds vote of the legislature to raise taxes. It also included several public information provisions. For each tax increase, the public was to receive:
Legislature Should Re-Enact 1% Limit, and Protect Taxpayers by Phasing out the State Property Tax
Seattle – Washington Policy Center recommends that lawmakers do three things during next week’s special session:
State Supreme Court Ruling on I-601 Offers Mixed Results for Taxpayers, Open Government Advocates
Olympia – The State Supreme Court today overturned a 2006 Snohomish County Superior Court ruling that found the legislature violated I-601 in 2005 when adopting the 2005-07 budget and hundreds of millions of dollars in tax increases. I-601, adopted by voters in 1993, established a state spending and tax limit.
State Supreme Court Ruling against I-747 Makes it Easier for Elected Officials to Raise Taxes
Seattle - Today's state Supreme Court ruling is bad news for Washington homeowners. With one stroke, five judges overturned the clear will of the voters and granted elected officials a 600% increase in taxing authority, now allowing 6% yearly tax hikes instead of I-747's 1% limit.
Washington Policy Center Releases Third Installment of ST2/RTID Ballot Measure Studies
Seattle - The Center for Transportation Policy at Washington Policy Center (WPC), Washington's premier public policy research and education organization, released the third installment of its ongoing coverage of the ST2/RTID ballot measure appearing this November.
State Supreme Court Should Restore 1% Property Tax Limit
Seattle - Today the state Supreme Court is scheduled to hear an appeal of a lower court ruling invalidating voter-passed Initiative 747, which set a 1% limit on the annual increase in regular property tax collections.
On June 13, 2006 King County Superior Court Judge Mary E. Roberts struck down Initiative 747 property tax limits, paving the way for state and local officials to increase the tax burden by as much as 6% a year.
Sound Transit's decision yesterday to add $6 billion to the proposed roads and transit plan increases total cost to $42 billion
Seattle - Public officials are asking voters to approve a multi-billion dollar roads and transit package in November that would increase the current transportation tax burden by $286, or 22% per family. Today, Puget Sound families pay an average of at least $1,303 per household per year in transportation taxes.