Rep. Zeiger issues statement on state Supreme Court ruling
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CONTACT: Kurt Hammond, Public Information Officer – (360) 786-7794
Rep. Hans Zeiger – (360) 786-7968
Rep. Zeiger issues statement on state Supreme Court ruling
The Washington State Supreme Court on Thursday struck down a requirement for a two-thirds vote in the Legislature to raise taxes. Rep. Hans Zeiger, R-Puyallup, issued the following statement regarding the court's rulings: “I am very disappointed by yesterday's Washington State Supreme Court ruling in League of Education Voters v. State of Washington. The court ruled that a two-thirds vote requirement to raise taxes is unconstitutional. “In November, Washington state voters passed Initiative 1185 and reiterated a clear message to the Legislature that it should be difficult to raise taxes. Initiative 1185 repeats earlier initiatives requiring a two-thirds vote of the Legislature to raise taxes. Citizens have voted five times in twenty years to enact a two-thirds vote requirement. Initiative 1185 passed in all thirty-nine counties of the state. And voters in the Twenty-fifth Legislative District passed Initiative 1185 with 71 percent support. “Our state constitution begins with the words, 'All political power is inherent in the people, and governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed.' Washingtonians have long recognized the initiative and referendum as essential to the legislative function of government. It is right that the people should check and balance their elected legislators. It is right that the citizens should establish the parameters for tax decisions. “Even with the court ruling, I do not expect that any significant general tax increase could pass the Legislature this year. The House majority may have fifty votes for higher taxes, but the Senate Majority Coalition Caucus (a conservative, bipartisan coalition of Republicans and Democrats) is unlikely to pass a tax hike.”
