Changes are needed in the ability of the Washington State Legislature to fund basic services like education and healthcare. The current state budget problems are made more difficult by the lack of flexibility of the Legislature to make decisions by a majority vote as directed by the Washington State Constitution and by a tax expenditure/exemption process that is shielded from legislative oversight by virtue of not being part of the normal budget process.
Many people are frustrated by the current stalemate in the legislative process and want more choices than just throwing up their hands and suffering more cuts in state services and more costs to working families. More options are needed for the voters than just saying we have no real choices.
Accordingly draft legislation has been written that could be a bill in the Legislature with a referendum clause for the voters or that could be a citizens initiative for the Fall ballot if the Legislature doesn’t act.. The legislation is called the Washington State Taxpayers Fiscal Reform Act. You can see a draft copy for comment located here: http://www.majorityrules.org/?attachment_id=814
We are now circulating this draft for public comment and revision. I would appreciate your review of this draft and any suggested revisions you might have.
The Taxpayers Fiscal Reform Act would:
1. Allow the Legislature to repeal tax exemptions by a majority vote by repealing the current unconstitutional 2/3 voting requirement.
2. Add tax expenditures into the biennial budget process.
3. Require the Legislature to rank all spending, including tax expenditures as high, medium or low priority in meeting state needs.
4. Require that the Legislature must act to reaffirm all tax expenditures after they have been audited by the state or they will sunset.
5. Limit any authorization or reauthorization of a tax expenditure to 10 years.
Please return all comments on the draft to Steve Zemke at the e-mail address below.
Thanks,
Steve Zemke – Chair
King County Democrats
Republicans are great at continually revising history to fit their myth making. A prime example is their constantly using Ronald Reagan as the Great Tax Cutter. What is left out is that Reagan also raised taxes a number of times.
Widely circulated right now is the video of the 60 Minutes interview this last weekend with House Republican and Majority Leader Eric Cantor. When Leslie Stahl asks him about Reagan also being a compromiser and having raised taxes, Cantor falters as his press secretary off screen yells that’s not true.
One wonders where Cantor’s press secretary got his education. And Cantor seems to feel no need to be more responsive or truthful. It’s a prime example of right wing dogma trying to deny historical reality and rewrite history. 60 Minutes did the public a service by not editing out the press secretary’s comments but making them part of the story.
Here is the interview on Crooks and Liar’s entitled Eric Cantor’s Press Secretary Interrupts 60 Min to Claim Reagan Never Raised Taxes. It includes a a video clip of the exchange with Leslie Stahl, Eric Cantor and Cantor’s press secretary and a clip of Reagan noting the need to compromise.as a reason he raised taxes.
Crooks and Liars in fact goes further than 60 Minutes
“As has been noted here at C&L, the Republican myth about Ronald Reagan being unwilling to raise taxes is just not true. Heaven forbid, Reagan raising taxes 11 times, not just several as the 60 Minutes report stated, might get in the way of their talking points about St. Ronnie.”
The Raw Story carried the story in a post entitled “Cantor refuses to admit Reagan raised taxes” They note that:
After his huge tax cut in 1981 slashed all tax rates to 23 percent, sparking a budget crisis, Reagan realized he’d also have to raise taxes in the years that followed. He raised taxes four times between 1982 to 1984, increasing the payroll tax, broadening the base of Social Security payees, applying the income tax to higher earners and rolling back corporate and individual tax breaks.
Reagan’s historic tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, whose rate went from 70 percent to 28 percent during his administration, ultimately forced the president to raise taxes on more people than any other U.S. president during a time of peace, according to New York Times columnist Paul Krugman.
In total, Reagan raised taxes 12 times during his two terms in office.”
Republicans seem to have no limits these days to telling stories and making up history. It is important for the media to help sort out the myth making and revisionist history from the historical reality. And voters need to realize that a lot of what is said by Republicans these days is just campaign talk and not true.
King County Election Night Parties: November 8, 2011
If you want to share the results and the evening with your political friends here is a list of some of the King County Election Night Parties for candidates and issues endorsed by Democrats.
NO on 1125
Where: Fadó Irish Pub and Restaurant (801 1st Ave, Seattle, WA 98104)
When: Starts at 7 PM
NO on 1183
Where: Fx McRory’s (419 Occidental Ave S, Seattle, WA 98104)
When: Starts at 7 PM
YES on 1163
Where: King Street Bar and Oven (170 S King St, Seattle, WA 98104)
When: Starts at 7 PM
Richard Mitchell for King County Council
Where: Crossroads Bar & Grill (15600 NE 8th St, Bellevue, WA 98008)
When: Starts at 7:30 PM
Claudia Balducci, John Stokes, John Chelminak (Candidates for Bellevue City Council)Where: Tap House Grill (550 106th Ave NE, Bellevue, WA 98004)
When: Starts at 7 PM
Streets for All Seattle (Yes on Proposition 1)
Where: Great Nabob (819 5th Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109)
When: Starts at 7 PM
Jean Godden, Seattle City Council
Where: Farestart (700 Virginia St, Seattle, WA 98101)
When: 7:30 PM
Bobby Forch, Seattle City CouncilWhere: The Diller Room (1224 1st Ave, Seattle, WA 98101)
When: 7:30 PM
Families and Education Levy – Seattle
Where: Elysian Fields (542 1st Ave S, Seattle WA 98104)
When: 7:30 to 9:30
Jessica Greenway for Kirkland City Council
Where: Greenway home – 110 15th Ave
When: 7:30 PM
Kate Martin for Seattle School Board
Where: Rosita’s (7210 Woodlawn Ave NE, Seattle)
When: 7 PM
Joe McDermott for King County Council
Where: West 5 (4539 California Ave SW, Seattle)
When: 8 PM
Dean Willard for Port CommissionerWhere: Fado Irish Pub and Restaurant (801 1st Ave S, Seattle)
When 7:30 PM
MDC Election Night Party with Pete Holmes
Where: Arctic Club (700 3rd)
When 5-8:30 PM
Bruce Harrell for Seattle City CouncilWhere: Four Seasons Restaurant (714 S King St, Seattle)
When: 7 – 10 PM
32nd District Democrats Election Night Party
Selena’s Mexican Kitchen (14622 15th Ave NE)
When: 7 – 9:30 PM
Election Day is upon us Tuesday, Nov 8, 2011.
What if you first realize after 5 PM that you forgot to mail your ballot?
Well there is one last thing you can do. Put it in a dropbox for voting by 8 PM!
You can also put it in a mail pickup box by 5 or 6 PM depending on the location. Ckeck for the last pickup time before you put it in a Post Office Pickup Box. It must have a stamp on it.
King County Elections Dropbox locations (no stamp needed) are listed below:
You can also go to King County Elections for locations and maps of drop boxes.Locations include:
Crossroads Shopping Center
15600 NE 8th Street
Bellevue, WA 98008
Federal Way City Hall
33325 8th Avenue South
Federal Way, WA 98003
Issaquah City Hall
130 East Sunset Way
Issaquah, WA 98027
King County Elections
919 SW Grady Way
Renton, WA 98057
Lake Forest Park City Hall
17425 Ballinger Way NE
Lake Forest Park, WA 98155Regional Justice Center
401 4th Avenue N.
Kent, WA 98032
Redmond City Hall
15670 NE 85th Street
Redmond, WA 98052
Tahoma School District Office
25720 Maple Valley-Black Diamond Rd SE
Maple Valley, WA 98038
King County Administration Building
500 4th Avenue
Seattle, WA 98104
Magnuson Park
6344 NE 74th Street
Seattle, WA 98115
Ballard Branch Library
57th Street & 22nd Avenue NW
Seattle, WA 98107
Remember -all ballots must be placed in Balot Drop Boxes by 8 PM today
The 2/3 vote requirement rule for the Washington State Legislature to act on revenue measures imposed by Tim Eyman’s Initiative 1053 needs to be overturned. Everyone acts as if it is law, including most of the Washington State Legislators, but it is unconstitutional. The issue is before the Washington Court system and needs to be resolved.
I-1053 has created a crisis for our state. It has limited the options of our state government to address our current financial crisis. The result is that the state is being forced to continue to cut basic services like education and health care. It is driving the crisis into a downward spiral.
The state has already cut it’s budget by $10 billion and is facing another $2 billion in cuts just to balance its current budget.
The I-1053 campaign is just another example of misguided anti-government legislation that unfortunately has an opposite effect from what many voters thought they were voting on. They bought the rhetoric thinking it was good for the average citizen in this state.
However it was Big Business and Corporate interests in this state that saw the measure for what it was - another opening to consolidate their power over the State Legislature. Corporations like the Bank of America and BP saw that this so called rule gave them virtual immunity from the threat of seeing their special interest tax exemptions being repealed once Eyman’s definition of a tax increase included repeal of tax exemptions. Voters missed this.
The Legislature over the years has passed special interest tax exemptions with a simple majority vote of 50%. These tax exemptions now exceed revenue from collected taxes. These tax exemptions are really expenditures of state money that if not in place could be used for other purposes like educating our youth and creating jobs. I-1053 has essentially grandfathered existing tax exemptions in permanently. That is because a 2/3 vote in both houses is needed to repeal them. This is almost impossible to do, considering that special interests only need to secure the votes of 17 Legislators out of 147 to stop a revenue measure being passed.
I-1053 also makes it almost impossible to raise any taxes on business. So the State is left with essentially one option to pay its bills and balance the budget – cutting programs. Unfortunately for Washington residents, cutting means ending services and jobs that benefit the majority of Washington voters, especially the middle class and working families.
It’s time to take back the Legislature from the special interests and reject the 2/3 voting requirement. There is a basic constitutional issue here. What has happened is that on revenue issues, I-1053 is saying that if Legislators are for revenue increases or repealing tax exemptions, their vote only counts as half a vote, rather than a full vote, in trying to pass measures. Nothing in the Constitution says that this is the case or that this is allowed.
I-1053 was an initiative, not a constitutional amendment. You can not change the constitution with an initiative. The Washington State Constitution says that bills shall be passed by majority votes, not by 2/3 votes. I-1053 is unconstitutional and the courts need to reject it so the state can address it’s financial problems without special interests calling the shots.
The people also need to reject any further measures by Eyman trying to reaffirm I-1053. He will be running another one in 2012. The reason for this is that for the first two years after an initiative is passed, it takes a 2/3 vote of the Legislature to amend it. After that it is a majority vote. By passing another 1053 type initiative, it would extend for two more years the inability of the Legislature to amend the 2/3 vote requirement. Voters need to understand that I-1053 style initiatives requiring a 2/3 vote to pass revenue measures benefits special interests a lot more than the average voter.
It’s time to reject the 2/3 vote requirement and take back the Legislature from the special interests.
NEWS RELEASE
October 27, 2011
CONTACT: Anne Martens
206-902-7181
BALANCE BUDGET BY ENDING TAX BREAKS AND RAISING REVENUE
Coalition calls on lawmakers to cut corporate welfare
instead of cutting our jobs and our families
In response to Governor Gregoire’s report on the devastation expected from another $2 billion in state budget cuts, members of the Our Economic Future coalition are asking lawmakers to stand up for Washington families by ending unfair tax breaks and raising revenue. (People affected by the cuts will be available for comment outside the Governor’s office in Olympia between 10am and noon)
“It’s not fair to balance the budget on the backs of the most vulnerable. These cuts hit hardest on those most at risk and set our state down a path of deepening poverty and increased homelessness,” said Rachael Myers (206-442-9455) of the Washington LowIncome Housing Alliance.
“More cuts add insult to injury,” said Jon Gould (206-324-0340 x 19) of the Children’s Alliance. “With 58,000 more children in poverty in our state – enough to fill 2,320 classrooms – these cuts couldn’t come at a worse time for our state’s kids.”
During the last legislative session, the coalition pushed for eliminating tax breaks like the ones that benefit out-of-state banks and private jet owners. Since regular session ended, both an official legislative audit committee and a citizen’s committee agreed that Washington hands out too much corporate welfare in the form of tax breaks, and that many of those loopholes should be closed.
Two-thirds of legislators would have to work together in order to close any tax loopholes. Because such cooperation is considered unlikely, the coalition may ask for a referendum to the people.
“We are the 99 percent,”said Anne Martens, spokesperson for the coalition. “Are tax breaks for big banks more important than our children’s future? Most people would say no.”
Coming on top of the $10 billion that has already been slashed from our public services, this latest round of cuts will have devastating effects on Washington families and on our ability to recover from the recession.
“Child care providers like me make sure that parents can go to work,” said Kathy Yasi, a small business owner and SEIU925 member. “Cutting programs like Working Connections forces parents to give up their jobs and pushes them to rely even more on public programs. It’s backwards.”
While slashing public services appears to save money in the short-run, in fact it adds to the rolls of people who need those services, at a time when both our families and our public services are already overstretched.
“Everyone feels the effects of this economic crisis, but some of our neighbors—particularly children of color–feel it worse. Lawmakers need to take a balanced approach to the state budget, with a plan for revenue, to make sure our families can survive this economic crisis,” said Mr. Gould.
“It’s time to find revenue solutions if we want to make sure that parents can continue to work and rebuild our economy,” said Ms. Yasi.
People all over Washington are finding it harder and harder to get services or support because prior budget cuts have already closed health clinics, raised tuition, and cut off access to job training, environmental protection and public safety. With few good jobs and an economy still designed to benefit special interests, these service cuts are hitting hardest on those least able to afford it.
Peter Sanderson, a community mental health therapist and SEIU1199NW member, agreed. “So many of the youth I see have lost their mental health care already, and many have become homeless after trying to make it on their own. They are trying so hard to create a positive future, but we leave them on the street. In this kind of economy, we should be investing in programs that help people get back on their feet instead of cutting help when they need it most.”
Ms. Myers notes that, “thousands of families are sleeping on the streets every night and people who never thought they’d need help with housing are now facing the reality that they can’t make ends meet.”
Randy Revelle (206-216-2515) of the Washington State Hospital Association adds that, “these cuts will be felt for years to come. People with serious disabilities and mental illnesses will lose their health coverage. People living with diabetes, congestive heart failure, and psychosis will lose coverage for essential medications. Rural areas could lose all access to obstetrical services, ambulances, and inpatient hospital care. The impacts are staggering.”
An additional $2 billion in cuts could mean:
· Tuition at community colleges and four-year universities goes up even more.
· More teachers are laid off and Washington moves towards the biggest class sizes in the nation.
· All community health clinics will be closed.
· 18,000 home care workers lose their jobs, and the elderly and disabled they care for lose their care and their homes.
· 7,400 criminals are put back on the streets with no supervision.
· 55,000 people lose their alcohol and substance prevention treatment.
· 80,000 people lose their mental health, long-term care and disability services.
While ending unfair tax breaks would not fill our gaping budget hole, it would ward off the worst of the cuts and provide sparse public services for the most vulnerable among us.
In order to really invest in schools, colleges, small businesses and public services that support a strong economy, we need to have a serious discussion about raising revenue.
###
The Our Economic Future Coalition represents more than 150 organizations concerned about deep budget cuts to core services. The Coalition is calling on lawmakers to find a more responsible and balanced approach to closing the current budget gap that includes closing tax loopholes and identifying new sources of revenue. www.oureconomicfuture.org.
With the passage of Tim Eyman’s Initiative 1053 last year requiring 2/3 votes of the Legislature to raise revenue, Wall Street interests and their friends were the big winners. Citizens in Washington State were the losers.
The reality is that with the citizen’s help, corporations guaranteed that their special interest loopholes and tax exemptions in Washington State would be continued on and on, without any accountability. Tax exemptions originally passed with only a majority vote now require a 2/3 vote by both houses of the Legislature to rescind or end. And this is almost impossible to do.
Wall Street and Big Business interests funding the campaign to protect their special interest tax exemptions included JP MORGAN CHASE, BP CORPORATION, BANK OF AMERICA, WELLS FARGO, CONOCO PHILLIPS, US BANK, TESORO COMPANIES INC, AND CHEVERON to name a few.
Why do you think they wanted voters to approve I-1053? It’s an easy answer.
Corporations basically were able to grandfather in their tax exemptions by passage of Initiative 1053. They were able to do this under the camouflage of limiting taxes on average citizens. The net result is that corporations protected themselves from not just losing their special interest exemptions but it also made it impossible for the Legislature to consider any other revenue coming from these corporations regardless of how much profit they make.
Tax exemptions are expenditures of state money that would otherwise be available to fund basic services like education, health care, transportation or environmental protection. Tax exemptions need to be included in the state budget just the same as other state expenditures. And they need to have a sunset provision so that unless they are voted on to be renewed, they will automatically expire. Sunset provisions could vary from 4 to 8 years.
Tax exemptions should not be a permanent entitlement of special interests and corporations. Their continuation needed to be evaluated and voted on periodically. Their value to the state’s economy should be prioritized under the guidelines of a priorities of government evaluation.. Their continuation should be ranked as high, medium or low priority, the same as other expenditures in the state budget. When it comes time to create a state budget they should be considered the same as any other expenditure, not exempt as they now are.
This evaluation of tax expenditures is a function that the State Auditor could perform the same as is done with other programs. Tax exemptions that no longer perform a valid function for the State and its citizens should be eliminated.
It’s time now for citizens to take back their Legislature from the corporations. Giving corporations special rules to prevent their tax exemptions from being repealed by requiring higher voting requirements is contrary to the Washington State Constitution and subverts the citizen’s legislature.. Now is the time to repeal the special treatment the Wall Street interests – the Banks and other Big Corporations - gave themselves under I-1053 and return the Legislature to the people..
We need to go back to the voting system set up by the people for the Legislature by the Washington State Constitution. Passing legislation, including revenue and the state budget should be by a simple majority vote as set in the State Constitution. Requiring a higher number of votes on specific legislation winds up giving a smaller and smaller block of Legislators veto power. That gives Wall Street and Big Businesses and Big Oil power they don’t deserve and diminishes the power of the people to control their government.
It’s time to end Wall Street’s Special Protection.and return the Legislature to the citizens of this state. It’s time to repeal I-1053 and stop the unfair shift of taxation from the wealthy and special interests to the middle class.
Below are the endorsements for the King County Democrats for the Nov. 8, 2011 General Election:
King County candidates:
King County Council Position 2 – Larry Gossett
King County Council Position 8 -Joe McDermott
King County Superior Court Position 24 – Judge Patrick Oishi
Seattle Port Commission:
Local Races:
Bellevue City Council Position 1 – John Stokes
Bellevue City Council Position 5 – Claudia Balducci
Covington City Council Position 1 -Marlla Mhoon
Federal Way City Council Position 3 – Roger Flygare
Bellevue City Council Position 5 – Claudia Balducci
Covington City Council Position 1 -Marlla Mhoon
Federal Way City Council Position 3 – Roger Flygare
Federral Way City Council Position 7 – Keith Tyler
Issaquah City Council Position 4 – Joshua Schaer
Kent City Council Position 1 – Bailey Stober
Kent School District Position 3 -Leslie Hamada
Kent City Council Position 1 – Bailey Stober
Kent School District Position 3 -Leslie Hamada
Kirkland City Council Position 4 – Jessica Greenway
Mercer Island City Council Position7 -Debbie Bertlin
Newcastle City Council Position 4 – Francisco Irigon
Northshore School Board Position 3 -BZ Davis
Northshore School Board Position 3 -BZ Davis
Public Hospital District No. 1 -Mary Alice Heuschel
Redmond City Council Position 7 – Sue Stewart
Shoreline City Council Position 2 -Chris Eggen
Tukwila City Council Position 6 – Kate Kruller
Seattle City Council:
Seattle City Council Position 3 – Bruce Harrell
Seattle City Council Position 5 -Tom Rasmussen
Seattle School Board:
Seattle School Board District 1 Sharon Peaslee
Seattle School Director District 2 – Kate Martin
Seattle School Director District 3 – Michelle Buetow
Seattle School Director District 6 – Marty McLaren
Ballot Measures: statewide:
Tim Eyman’s Initiative -1125.- oppose
SEIU 1163 - no position
Costco’s Initiative – 1183- oppose
SJR 8205 - support
SJR 8206 - oppose
Ballot Measures – Seattle:
Seattle Family and Education Levy- support
You can help support the candidates by going to their webpage and giving them your personal endorsement, like them on thier facebook pages, volunteer to help them and give them a contribution.
The Metropolitan Democratic Club of Seattle met this last Wednesday, Sept. 28th, and completed their final round of endorsements for the November 8, 2011 General Election. The following statement was put out by their President Justin Simmons
MDC Members and Friends,
At our meeting yesterday, September 28, the MDC made the following new endorsements for the general election to be held on Tuesday, November 8.
Seattle School Board Pos. 3
Michelle Buetow
Northshore School Board Pos. 2
Joe Marshall
WA State Initiative 1125
rejected
WA State Initiative 1163
approved
WA State Initiative 1183
rejected
WA State Senate Joint Resolution 8205
approved
WA State Senate Joint Resolution 8206
approved
Seattle Proposition 1
no action advised
Newcastle City Council – Position 4
Frank Irigon
As previously released, our Primary endorsements were the following:
King County Council
Pos. 2, Larry Gossett*
Pos. 4, Larry Phillips
Pos. 6, Richard Mitchell
Pos. 8, Joe McDermott
King County Elections Director
Sherril Huff
King County Assessor
Lloyd Hara*
Port of Seattle
Pos. 2, Gael Tarleton*
Pos. 5, Dean Willard*
Seattle City Council
Pos. 1, Jean Godden*
Pos. 3, Bruce Harrell*
Pos. 5, Tom Rasmussen*
Pos. 9, Sally Clark*
Seattle School Board
Pos. 1, Sharon Peaslee*
Pos. 2, Kate Martin*
Pos. 6, Marty McLaren
Court of Appeals, Div. 1, Dist. 1, Pos. 2
Michael Spearman
Families& Education Levy
endorsed approval
*Asterisks indicate current MDC members.
The majority of the MDC’s voting membership believes these candidates and campaigns represent and will promote the progressive values we cherish.
Thanks to all of you who participated in our endorsement process.
Democratically yours,
Justin Simmons, President
Metropolitan Democratic Club of Seattle
Recently posted on the NPI Advocate- Washington’s Senate approves marriage equality legislation after long debate
- President Obama’s schedule for February 17th Seattle visit begins to take shape
- Suzanne Bonamici elected to succeed David Wu in Oregon’s 1st Congressional District
- Happy seventh birthday, Pacific NW Portal!
- Big vote on marriage equality tomorrow
