FCWPP Endorsement of Initiatives and a Referendum

FCWPP Alert:  FCWPP Endorsement of Initiatives and a Referendum

FCWPP recommends:

a YES vote for the following:

Initiative 1098: Tax Reform initiative (This Initiative was endorsed earlier by FCWPP; for details see the Alert of 5-21-2010 on our website: www.fcwpp.org).  I-1098 reforms our unfair and imbalanced tax system and generates dedicated funding for education and health care.

Referendum 52: This referendum would allow the state to sell bonds to fund energy savings retrofit to schools across the state. 

a NO vote for the following:

Initiative 1053: This Tim Eyman initiative would require 67% super-majority approval vote of the legislature to raise taxes and create new taxes.
FCWPP supported legislative efforts to set aside this requirement in the 2010 session. This “super-majority” rule empowers a minority of 33 percent to block efforts to increase taxes a 66 percent majority may feel are needed to fund vital state services.

Initiative 1107: I-1107 ends tax increases on candy, soda, and bottled water
FCWPP supported this tax in the 2010 legislative session to fund Basic Health Care and Education.  By repealing the $0.02/bottle tax on bottled water and soda Initiative 1107 would result in hundreds of millions in lost revenue over the next two years: revenue currently budgeted for important state services including Basic Health and K-12 education programs.  We need this money.

Initiative 1100/1105: These two initiatives end our state’s liquor control system by privatizing the sale of hard liquor.
Both of these initiatives support increasing private-sector retailers’ ability to make a profit on the sale of hard liquor.  Their passage will result in increased liquor sales and increased problems for individuals and society associated with alcohol abuse (e.g. the State Auditor estimates teen access to hard liquor will increase 400% if I-1100 passes).
If Initiative 1100 were in effect in 2009, Washington State taxpayers would have lost more than $230 million in revenue, which was used to fund schools throughout the state as well as health care and other core services ( http://www.kirklandviews.com/archives/18307).  The same arguments are made against I-1105 ( http://www.seattlepi.com/local/422025_booze21.html).

Sam Merrill, Clerk, Legislative Committee
Steven Aldrich, Clerk, Economic Justice Working Group