Familiar ring to tax push

The senators in Olympia are at it again (“Constitutionality of I-960 debated,” Feb. 5). Last year Sen. Lisa Brown brought suit against Washington state, calling Initiative 960, which limits the ability to raise taxes, unconstitutional. The Supreme Court refused to rule on it.

The Washington state Senate has disregarded the people’s choice as we voted in I-960 to help limit their ability to raise taxes. Sen. Brown tried to pass a state income tax last year also. Now it appears the senators are passing a simple majority vote bill, 6843 (Spokesman-Review, Feb. 9)

The same paper outlined the problems Spokane County is having getting money to renovate the courthouse. It seems the federal government gave them a grant of $500,000 for the job if they could come up with another $1 million in matching funds. The county couldn’t, so they are taking $354,164 grant money given to them for a different project to use on the Courthouse, as they only need to match it with $354,164.

All these dollars come from increased taxes without any increase in our income to pay them.

Len Champion

Spokane