Washington
Apparently a new record was set for spending on an initiative in Washington State recently. The American Beverage Association has plopped down over $14 million to try and overturn a soda tax passed by the State Legislature.
The court ruled in favor of the city of Mukilteo and Snohomish County last week, allowing the Initiative No. 2 red-light camera issue to remain on the Nov. 2 ballot. Snohomish County Superior Court Judge Michael Downes said the camera issue was unique in that not only do the citizens want to vote, but the City Council wants to hear from the people. “I see no harm in letting the voters vote,” Downes said. Mukilteo Citizens for Simple Government sued the city of Mukilteo and Snohomish County to stop the red-light cameras from reaching the ballot.
Large retailers Costco and Safeway could be allowed to sell hard liquor if voters approve Initiative 1100 in November. Currently, hard alcohol is sold in stores licensed by the state. The state provides the inventory, while those with state contracts receive base pay and a sales commission. But critics of the state’s role call it a “Prohibition-style monopoly” on liquor sales.
This city’s debate over red-light cameras just got hotter. A group calling itself Mukilteo Citizens for Simple Government filed a lawsuit late Monday attempting to keep the city’s red-light camera initiative off the Nov. 2 ballot. The six-page complaint attempts to block an initiative that calls for a public vote and City Council approval before red-light or speed-zone cameras can be installed in the city. The initiative also would limit fines to the least expensive traffic ticket, which is $20.
Voters will get to decide the fate of Tim Eyman’s latest tax initiative in November. State officials say I-1053 has qualified for the fall ballot. It would reinstate a supermajority requirement for state legislators to raise taxes.
The second initiative in city history is bound for the November ballot after the Mukilteo City Council voted 5-1 to let voters decide whether Mukilteo should have traffic cameras capture the license plates of drivers who either run red lights or exceed 20 mph in school zones. “I agree very strongly with the initiative process,” Councilmember Kevin Stoltz said. “Really, when we have this many people sign the petition, it’s the responsibility of the council to put it on the ballot.”
Secretary of State Sam Reed has certified one of two liquor privatization measures to the ballot.Initiative 1100 was certified Monday. Supporters turned in more than 390,000 voter signatures, well above the 241,000 required. A random check of signatures was completed Friday.
A campaign to impose an income tax on the state’s wealthiest residents is likely headed to the November ballot, as supporters submitted boxes of petitions Thursday morning. Bill Gates Sr., father of the Microsoft Corp. co-founder, and about two dozen other supporters of Initiative 1098 turned in 350,000 petition signatures Thursday in Olympia, many more than the roughly 241,000 required to get on the ballot. The campaign says it will turn in an additional 20,000 Friday.
A voter initiative seeking to end the state monopoly on workers’ compensation could be headed for the November ballot. Sponsors of Initiative 1082 have turned in their signed petitions with state elections officials. The campaign says it has about 340,000 signatures. That’s well above the roughly 241,000 required get on the ballot. I-1082 is sponsored by the Building Industry Association of Washington, a construction trade group that’s very active in conservative politics.
Voter initiatives to outlaw photo enforcement gained a second wind this week in Texas and Washington state as enough signatures have been gathered to force the issue onto the November ballot. In both Baytown, Texas and Mukilteo, Washington, organizers required a renewed effort to meet all of the legal requirements. Later today in the Lone Star State, SaferBaytown.com leader Byron Schirmbeck will turn in a second batch of signatures to the city clerk’s office.