We all have the opportunity to vote on I-960, the Taxpayer Protection Initiative, this November thanks to our thousands of supporters throughout the state who donating the dollars and gathered the 314,000+ voter signatures necessary to qualify it for the ballot. We all owe them our appreciation for working so hard to give the average taxpayer an equal voice in the process.

What does I-960 do?

• For a tax increase, current law requires two-thirds legislative approval — that means to raise taxes, the Legislature must get two-thirds of House politicians and two-thirds of Senate politicians to approve. This requirement has been on the books for 13 years thanks to voter-approved Initiative 601 and this high hurdle for tax hikes was reenacted by the 1998 Legislature and reenacted again by the 2005 Legislature. So politicians haved imposed on themselves the two-thirds threshold. But to get around it, politicians take tax increases off-budget which allows them to circumvent their own law. I-960 clarifies and reinforces the law, making it clear politicians must get two-thirds legislative approval for any tax increase, whether it’s inside or outside the general fund. Voter approval of I-960 tells Olympia to stop circumventing the law.
• To get around I-601’s spending limits, the Legislature shifts money among accounts and spends the same money twice. The court ruled against the 2005 Legislature saying I-601’s language made this illegal (Justice Susan Owens called it a “shell game”). Incredibly, the Legislature defended the double-counting saying I-601 did not specifically prohibit them from spending the money twice! I-960 clarifies the law and ensures shifted money can only be spent once.
• Olympia has misused/abused/overused the “emergency clause.” By declaring a bill an “emergency,” politicians take away the citizens’ constitutionally-guaranteed right to referendum. Courts have refused to limit this abuse, going so far as to OK a sports stadium as an emergency. So I-960 sets aside two pages in the next general election’s voter pamphlet for any tax increase that is blocked from a citizen referendum, listing the tax increase’s 10-year cost, legislators who voted “yes” and “no” along with their contact information, and a non-binding advisory vote on the tax increase (unlike a referendum, there won’t be pro/con arguments in the voters pamphlet because under these circumstances, the Legislature would have already unilaterally imposed the tax and blocked a citizen referendum). I-960 cannot stop the Legislature and Governor from abusing the emergency clause, but it will make sure voters are fully informed when they do. If the Legislature wants the benefits of a referendum (pro/con arguments, legislators “anonymity,” marketing of the tax increase), they can put the tax increase on the ballot themselves which requires only a simple majority in the House and Senate. Voter approval of I-960 tells politicians to stop declaring “emergencies” because they short-circuit the people’s rights.
• I-960 requires elected representatives, not unelected bureaucrats, to decide on fees. Currently, the Legislature routinely delegates its fee-increase-authority to state agencies. That is taxation without representation. Fundamental to representative democracy is the voters’ right to unelect those whose legislative decisions we disagree with. I-960 simply requires that any fee increase, large or small, must be approved by our elected representatives in a recorded, simple majority vote. These decisions are too important and too impactful to be made by anyone other than our state elected representatives.
• I-960 provides a 21st century way for the citizens to be alerted to legislative efforts to increase taxes or fees. I-960 requires the state budget office to promptly calculate the 10-year cost to taxpayers for any revenue-raising bill. Then, for any member of the media or any citizen who signs up, they must email a public press release for each legislative step of each revenue-raising bill (when the bill is introduced, set for a hearing, approved by a committee, and voted on in the house and senate). Email releases will list the 10-year cost, legislators’ sponsorship, voting records, and contact information (nothing more, nothing less). Under I-960, there will never again be an under-the-radar-screen revenue-raising bill. We have every right to know what Olympia is doing.

Voter approval for I-960 sends these clear messages to our representatives:

• Follow the laws, especially those approved by the people. You are elected to represent the people, not rule them.
• Don’t violate our state Constitution which says with any Legislature-approved law, the people are guaranteed the right to gather signatures, put it on the ballot, and let the voters decide. The referendum power deters Olympia from going over a cliff and passing laws they know to be opposed by the people. But that constitutional right is taken away every time you declare a bill an “emergency.” So stop it. Stop attaching emergency clauses to bills — every time you do, you take away and short-circuit our rights. It’s an abuse of power and repeals our constitutionally-guaranteed rights. Just stop it.
• State and local governments impose and collect over $50 billion every year. Even without tax hikes, that amount increases. If prioritized, that’s more than enough.

Politicians simply cannot control themselves. Please approve I-960 and let’s remind politicians that taxpayers don’t have bottomless wallets.

Please vote YES.

(Editor’s Note: Tim Eyman is co-sponsor of I-960 and heads up Voters Want More Choices, a grassroots taxpayer protection organization, 425-493-8707, www.VotersWantMoreChoices.com, jakatak@comcast.net.)