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September 27, 2011 in Region
Washington Dems explore election on tax hikes
OLYMPIA — Democratic officials have been quietly exploring the logistics of a special election in February that could ask state voters to raise taxes to help fill another budget shortfall, according to documents released to The Associated Press under public records laws.
Staff members in the Legislature have gathered information on both the timing and costs of holding such an election, even as lawmakers say it’s premature to say whether it’s an option they will pursue. Advisers to Gov. Chris Gregoire are among those that have been looking at the logistics.
Democratic Sen. Ed Murray, who has openly suggested the idea of a tax package, said legislative staffers are making the inquiries so that lawmakers can understand the process if they decide to make such a pitch. Murray said it currently looks unlikely that a plan would be in place for a February election, saying that much more research needs to be done and lawmakers still need a broader agreement on finding $2 billion to balance the budget.
“There isn’t even a concept yet about what revenue would look like,” Murray said. “We can’t have a discussion about putting anything on the ballot until we have a discussion about what we end up cutting.”
Gregoire has called lawmakers back to Olympia for a budget-slashing session at the end of November, and she has said the focus will be on identifying cuts at this point in the process. The secretary of state’s office has told officials that a tax referendum bill would have to pass by Dec. 2 — just a few days into the special session Gregoire has called — in order to give officials enough time to prepare for a Feb. 14 election that is already scheduled, according to internal documents.
An election would cost about $6.6 million if it was aligned with the previously scheduled vote in February, according to secretary of state documents. It would cost about $8 million if it was done on its own.
Democratic Rep. Ross Hunter said there is clearly interest among members in his caucus to consider new ways to raise revenue because the potential set of cuts needed to reach $2 billion would be “daunting.” But he said the Legislature will still need to find $2 billion in potential cuts in case voters don’t approve the package.
Lawmakers managed about $4.6 billion in spending reductions earlier in this year, relying heavily on cuts to education, including teacher salaries. Gregoire has said education will face additional cuts in this budget round.
State voters last year repealed a tax on candy, gum, bottled water and pop shortly after lawmakers approved them, and they also rejected a proposal to tax the income of high earners. Voters also approved an initiative requiring a two-thirds majority to raise taxes, which essentially removed that option from the table because Republicans have vowed not to approve any tax increases.
Hunter said lawmakers need to show the public what impact the cuts would have without an increase in revenue.
“You’d want to believe the public would support it, otherwise you’re just wasting your time,” Hunter said.
© Copyright 2011 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Police: Seattle cafe gunman may have shot self 
hahaha_all_in on September 27 at 9:28 a.m.
Maybe all those dorks on the east side will stop voting socialism and start voting for sound economic policies. Here are some ideas: 1) stop issuing bonds to build stadiums so billionaires can pay millionaires to play a game. 2) get rid of PERS and all the other retirement programs that gives state workers more money in retirement then when they worked and replace it with 401K’s with a matching 2%. 3) stop implementing obama care that is costing this state OMG about 500 million a year. 4) Pay state employees only what the same job pays for in the real world. 5) Hiring freeze. 6) Get rid of subsidies for illegals. There is so much more they can do other then cut education.
norpass on September 27 at 9:46 a.m.
“Tax hikes!” Why, the notion is brilliant. Raise taxes on all those that are barely making ends meet as it is. Washington Democraps must surely have the lower castes in mind when suggesting tax hikes.
Would make better sense to cut the salaries of ALL elected officials, college presidents, political appointees, and live within our means to pay those taxes.
So yeah Sen. Ed, raise those taxes. Election time is fast approaching. Washington’s electorate would do well to remember good old Sen. Ed next time he’s up for re-election.
Elkay on September 27 at 9:52 a.m.
@hahaha_all_in,
You have some great points … and I’d bet us Common Folk could come up with more cost cutting ideas. What a shame that partisan politics have stumped the geniuses in Olympia and D.C. At least most of us are now suffering ‘equally and fairly’ …
Nice going, clowns.
Dazzeetrader11 on September 27 at 10:23 a.m.
VOTE them out. SImple. It’ll just keep going if you leave these Liberal Dems in place.
Codywiench on September 27 at 10:43 a.m.
This is offensive. I think Washington voters have made it clear, time and time again, that they don’t want to be taxed anymore. Your Democratic legislature is almost as myopic as mine (Idaho’s) republican one.
Shadedmuse on September 27 at 11:41 a.m.
Best solution vote out the republican insane tea-bagger clwon posse, they are what is ruining this state and nation.
Coffee on September 27 at 12:42 p.m.
Shadedmuse: Please correct me if I am wrong, but aren’t the Democrats in the majority in Washington State? If they are in fact the majority the problems we are having with the short fall in money for state services can be laid at their feet.
nslopeofw on September 27 at 1:06 p.m.
Coffee calls it right again. Shade has to blame anyone but his (her?) beloved spendricrats.
“Oh, the TEA party is racist”. “Oh, the TEA party is ruining the country”
Nothing ever mentioned about the TEA party trying to make the government adhere to the same budget restraints that the populous has to adhere to. Nothing about being fiscally responsible. Just clinging to the lies about racism and class warfare. Shades palz have been in control of this state for a while, not to mention “leading” the US government. Look where that has gotten us.
rshroll on September 27 at 6:24 p.m.
I guess when we are trying to dig out of the worst economic downturn since the great depression even the notion of “exploring” tax increases causes the masses to freak out. I don’t like paying taxes either, but do understand that they are they reason we have a society and not a free for all. If you really would like to pay no taxes, Somalia is waiting. This video is for comedy, but there is much truth here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QDv4sYwjO0
Besides education of our children, and teaching at our public universities, gov. employees safeguard our children, analyze difficult strains of tuberculosis, bio-terrorism agents, and other rare microbiologic cases. Keep our highways/transportation systems maintained, safe, and up to date (DOT) and relatively safe (WSP), guard our most dangerous criminals, help our most severely mentally ill and developmentally disabled. The list goes on and on. When the state government has a shortfall there is no deficit spending. Cuts or tax increases are a must and we all know there have been no new state taxes since the great recession began at the end of G.W Bush’s term when the country was losing 700,000 jobs a month. The state has had several multi billion dollar shortfalls, each of which has been met by cuts alone. It must be hard for the average person to see state cuts. State employees have not had a cost of living increase in 3 contracts (~6 years) and actually had a recent pay decrease. To make wages comparable with the private sector would mean a pay increase for many state positions. In Spokane County one could drive out to Medical Lake and check out the area that use to be the Medical Lake State Facilities, albeit hidden from public view. Interlake School, a long term hospital like facility for severely developmentally disabled completely closed. University of Washington Primate Research Center completely closed. Pine Lodge Correctional Facility for Women completely closed. Lakeland Village Institution for Developmentally Disabled being dramatically cut and on the block to be completely closed. Eastern State Hospital has had numerous ward closures cutbacks and is currently slated for further cuts. A dramatically scaled back Eastern State Hospital will be all that remains of the Medical Lake State Facilities. The state doesn’t scream and yell about this, they simply do it. They have to. The public even denied a new tax on candy and soda and a tax on the wealthy. Without a state income tax our state is especially hard hit when people cut back dramatically on spending. These large state cuts hurt our economy the same as any large corporation cuts. Employees become unemployed making a bad problem worse. During this great recession the top 1% of American citizens have accrued more wealth than at any time in our history. Not at all hurt by the recession, they are buying large media companies, etc., to preach to us the way they want it to be. Do we really want the great middle class on this race to the bottom? Bust the unions, always say that less is better (for the middle class), and that is exactly what happens. If you are not getting what you are worth, don’t wish that on others, fight for your fair share.