Monday, April 29, 2013

2/3rds majority to raise taxes revisited


Last Autumn the people voted for I-1185, to require the state legislature to have a 2/3rds super-majority to impose new taxes.  Subsequently, the state Supreme Court struck down the same requirement (as stated in I-1053) as an unconstitutional interference with the legislature's power to raise taxes.

Requiring super-majority in legislature to increase taxes is an old issue in Washington State.  The people have repeatedly voted for  it, the legislature has repeatedly found ways around the will of the people.  When the court revoked I-1053, the dark power infecting the state government removed a substantial chunk of the people's right to self-rule.

The State's Constitution is very clear:

ARTICLE II
LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT
SECTION 1 LEGISLATIVE POWERS, WHERE VESTED. The legislative authority of the state of Washington shall be vested in the legislature, consisting of a senate and house of representatives, which shall be called the legislature of the state of Washington, but /////the people reserve to themselves the power to propose bills, laws, and to enact or reject the same at the polls, independent of the legislature/////, and also reserve power, at their own option, to approve or reject at the polls any act, item, section, or part of any bill, act, or law passed by the legislature.
The peoples law, the requirement of a 2/3rds majority, was completely constitutional.  The Court is out of line.

~~~~~~~~

Nonetheless, the State's citizens desire to do things in an orderly way, one that does not require the hanging renegade judges.  But the people have not been docile.   As usual,  Tim Eyman is first in line with a proposal --
  1. Requires yearly advisory votes every November asking voters whether they support or oppose letting the people vote on a 2/3-for-taxes constitutional amendment;
  2. Limits the duration of tax increases -- those imposed by the Legislature after January 1, 2013 -- to one year; and
  3. Provides information in the voters' pamphlet about the governor's and legislators' voting records on tax bills -- increases imposed after January 1, 2013.
Mr Eyman is promoting the democratic policies of having the people closely involved with their own governance.  The undemocratic "Democratic" Party controlled legislature can't stand the super-majority requirement to raise taxes.  The people voted for it -- why doesn't the legislature go along? 

This new super-majority initiative petition has yet to be numbered.  When it is, Impolite will announce and back it.








































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