What do you all think of I-1098? (Olympia: real estate, home)

[WillynillyTalc]

Originally Posted by Xanathos

Short and to the point: I'm proud of ya, Washington. This thing got smacked down with authority, and the Eyman initiative to force polis to have a 2/3 majority to raise any taxes seems to be passing as well.

Keep showing these idiots in Olympia the tough love.

I may be wrong, it's happened before, but didn't there used to be some law about needing voter approval to raise taxes that the Legislature struck down recently when they needed to raise taxes? Don't you think they're going to make up their own rules no matter what we say?

[Inkpoe]

Originally Posted by WillynillyTalc

I may be wrong, it's happened before, but didn't there used to be some law about needing voter approval to raise taxes that the Legislature struck down recently when they needed to raise taxes? Don't you think they're going to make up their own rules no matter what we say?

I believe they suspended it for their "emergency" session.

[Xanathos]

Yeah, they have a habit of ignoring voter initiatives under the guise of obtaining "emergency funds", but I'm (perhaps foolishly) optimistic voters would see through that and kick anyone who tries it out.

[superdeluxe]

I'm hoping that this tax got hammered so hard..that we won't see this again for a long time.

[superdeluxe]

Originally Posted by WillynillyTalc

I may be wrong, it's happened before, but didn't there used to be some law about needing voter approval to raise taxes that the Legislature struck down recently when they needed to raise taxes? Don't you think they're going to make up their own rules no matter what we say?

That would be 960, which is a reason why people called BS when the Pro 1098 folks said that the legislature wouldn't 'dare' lower the threshold.

[j_k_k]

Originally Posted by WillynillyTalc

I may be wrong, it's happened before, but didn't there used to be some law about needing voter approval to raise taxes that the Legislature struck down recently when they needed to raise taxes? Don't you think they're going to make up their own rules no matter what we say?

That's why the initiative process doesn't work. There is no enforcement mechanism that law can wield, because the state government is never going to agree to penalize itself or limit itself.

I did find it funny that Tim Eyman made sure his name wasn't associated with his initiative from the supporting side in the voter's pamphlet. Evidently he worried that his very name was poll poison. Which I thought it was, but evidently not, or perhaps most voters don't read the pamphlet.

[CarlB328]

didn't there used to be some law about needing voter approval to raise taxes that the Legislature struck down recently when they needed to raise taxes?

Laws are struck down by the courts- not the lawmakers. That's their job and it always has been regardless of what lawmakers want.

[AlohaHuey]

Originally Posted by superdeluxe

I'm hoping that this tax got hammered so hard..that we won't see this again for a long time.

Income tax in WA is inevitable. You can hope and wish all you want, but the financial reality is that sooner or later, the state will have to come up with enough revenue to met their obligations. Hence, an income tax.

"Cutting the budget" is a pithy solution, when the budget has been picked over by the vultures for several years already. How much more is there to cut?

[Xanathos]

Originally Posted by AlohaHuey

Income tax in WA is inevitable. You can hope and wish all you want, but the financial reality is that sooner or later, the state will have to come up with enough revenue to met their obligations. Hence, an income tax.

"Cutting the budget" is a pithy solution, when the budget has been picked over by the vultures for several years already. How much more is there to cut?

Look at spending 5 years ago vs. spending today. My guess is, there is more to "pick over" now than there was 5 years ago, because we're spending significantly more now than we were 5 years ago. So no, it hasnt' been "picked over". The spending has been ramped, not taken back. mod cut:

[Inkpoe]

... Gregoire needs to be fiscally smart and creative. Which are precisely the skill and ability she always lacked.

Look over the budget, there is always waste bleeding out the budget. Look at the ferry system OT fiasco. Have the jail run by the Sheriff Joe types (I know Washington will have a problem with that, but oh well). Have the public employees pay for their own healthcare-- or more of it.

There are ways, but Gregoire's simply going for the easy ways and targeting the weak, poor and children. Always a easy target to punish.