Sen. Padden's Hot Topics Survey |
Taxpayer Protection Amendment
When it comes to the two-thirds requirement for tax increases, the people have made their wishes clear – voting for the policy (known as the Taxpayer Protection Act) by overwhelming majorities consistently in five separate elections over 20 years. The latest vote came in 2012, when Washingtonians passed Initiative 1185 with 64 percent of the vote.
The two-thirds requirement for legislators to raise taxes actually received more votes than President Obama received in Washington State. It was adopted in all 39 counties, and in 44 of the state’s 49 legislative districts.
Despite this popularity, the Supreme Court threw out the two-thirds requirement, calling it unconstitutional, and pointing to a constitutional amendment as the only means to revive it.
Earlier this month, voters took a step in that direction, approving I-1366. The ballot measure requires the Legislature to put a "two-thirds for taxes" constitutional amendment before voters on the 2016 ballot, or face a drop in the state sales tax by one percentage point, from 6.5 percent to 5.5 percent.
The measure passed with nearly 60 percent of the vote in Spokane County.
The two-thirds requirement for legislators to raise taxes actually received more votes than President Obama received in Washington State. It was adopted in all 39 counties, and in 44 of the state’s 49 legislative districts.
Despite this popularity, the Supreme Court threw out the two-thirds requirement, calling it unconstitutional, and pointing to a constitutional amendment as the only means to revive it.
Earlier this month, voters took a step in that direction, approving I-1366. The ballot measure requires the Legislature to put a "two-thirds for taxes" constitutional amendment before voters on the 2016 ballot, or face a drop in the state sales tax by one percentage point, from 6.5 percent to 5.5 percent.
The measure passed with nearly 60 percent of the vote in Spokane County.