Senate rejects constitutional amendment on tax increases

OLYMPIA – The state Senate failed to reach the required vote threshold required to send voters a constitutional amendment asking if they want to require a two-thirds supermajority in the Legislature for future tax increases.

Senate Joint Resolution 8211 failed Friday in the Republican-led chamber because only 26 senators voted in support, shy of the 33 votes needed. Constitutional amendments require a two-thirds vote in both the Senate and House before they can be sent to the ballot for a public vote.

The vote comes just weeks after a King County Superior court judge struck down a voter-approved initiative that would have cut the sales tax by 1 percentage point, beginning April 15, unless lawmakers allow a public vote on an amendment that would require a two-thirds supermajority in the Legislature for future tax increases.

Currently, taxes can be raised when 25 of the Senate’s 49 members approve them.