Washington State Ballot Measures
Initiative Measure 1053: concerns tax and fee increases imposed by state government.
Before authorizing any tax increases, this initiative would require a two-thirds majority by the state legislature or a statewide vote. This initiative is direct response to Initiative 960, which required the same thing, but was repealed by lawmakers after a rule allowed a simple majority to repeal initiatives. This initiative would make the two-thirds rule permanent.
Initiative Measure 1082: concerns industrial insurance.
Sponsored by the Building Industry Association of Washington, this measure would authorize employers to purchase private industrial insurance and direct the legislature to enact conforming legislation by March 1, 2012. It would also eliminate the worker-paid share of medical-benefit premiums.
Support and opposition largely lies on those groups who back employers (supporters) and those who back workers (opposition), as they say it would put worker's compensation insurance in the hands of for-profit companies.
Initiative Measure 1098: concerns establishing a state income tax and reducing other taxes.
This measure would tax adjusted gross income above $200,000 for individuals and $400,000 for joint-filers, reduce state property tax levies to 4 percent, reduce certain business and occupation taxes. Any increased revenues would then be directed to education and health.
Initiative Measure No. 1100: concerns liquor (beer, wine and spirits).
This measure would close state liquor stores and authorize the sale, distribution, and importation of spirits by private parties; and repeal certain requirements that govern the business operations of beer and wine distributers and producers.
According to the Office of Fiscal Management, the measure would reduce state liquor revenue by $277 million over the next five years. It would however, allow retailers such as Costco (a major supporter) to sell spirits next to the beer and wine aisle.
Initiative Measure No. 1105: concerns liquor (beer, wine and spirits).
Virtually the same as 1100, except it would decrease the state's liquor revenue by $730 million over the next five years, according to the Office of Fiscal Management. The difference is how liquor would be sold. This measure would price licenses based on the volume of liquor sold.
Initiative Measure No. 1107 concerns reversing certain 2010 amendments to state tax laws.
This measure would end sales tax on candy, end temporary sales tax on some bottled water, end temporary excise taxes on carbonated beverages and reduce tax rates for certain food processors. Heavily supported by the American Beverage Association, which gave $1 million to the campaign, the state estimates that it would lose an estimated $352 million if 1107 passes.
Referendum Bill 52: The Legislature passed House Bill No. 2561, concerning authorizing and funding bonds for energy efficiency projects in schools.
This bill would authorize bonds to finance construction and repair projects increasing energy efficiency in public schools and higher education buildings, and continue the sales tax on bottled water otherwise expiring in 2013.
Senate Joint Resolution 8225: The legislature has proposed a constitutional amendment concerning the limitation on state debt.
This amendment would require the state to reduce the interest accounted for in calculating the constitutional debt limit, by the amount of federal payments scheduled to be received to offset that interest.
House Joint Resolution 4220: The legislature has proposed a constitutional amendment on denying bail for persons charged with certain criminal offenses.
This amendment would authorize courts to deny bail for offenses punishable by the possibility of life in prison, on clear and convincing evidence of a propensity for violence that would likely endanger persons.