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UPDATE: Taxes, the road not taken …

UPDATE: Taxes, the road not taken …

Remember the Oregon Legislature’s bold decision last month to boost taxes to help fill a multibillion-dollar budget gap?  Well, as predicted, the $733 million in personal and corporate tax hikes didn’t go over well with critics, who assailed the very idea of raising taxes during a deep recession. On Tuesday, a group called Oregonians Against Job-Killing Taxes filed referenda against the two tax bills.  They’re talking about spending $500k on the signature-gathering campaign. They need roughly 55,000 valid voter signatures by Sept. 25…

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Who signs R-71? Foes may post it online

Who signs R-71? Foes may post it online

Some foes of a referendum aimed at halting a new “everything but marriage” law in Washington state plan to eventually publish online the names and addresses of everyone who signs the Referendum 71 petitions. The state Elections Division is encouraging “civil debate” on the measure and expressing concern if the signature-gathering process is suppressed or voters feel threatened in any way. Washington Values Alliance, which opposes gay marriage and is sponsoring R-71, will begin circulating petitions this week. They’ll be racing…

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Domestic partnership foes file referendum

Domestic partnership foes file referendum

Opponents of Washington’s new “everything but marriage” domestic partnership law are hoping to force a statewide public vote on the issue this fall. Larry Stickney, Arlington, president of Washington Values Alliance (Web site here), filed a referendum at the state Elections Division in Oly on Monday.  Sponsors will have until July 25 to gather 120,577 valid voter signatures to qualify for the November 3 statewide ballot. Referendum 71 would allow voters to uphold the new law, Senate Bill 5688, or to reject it. Governor…

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You have referendum questions? We have answers…

You have referendum questions? We have answers…

Early this afternoon, Referendum 71 was filed on the domestic partnership bill (SB 5688) passed this year by the state Legislature. This is the second referendum filed with the Secretary of State in the past week. R-70 deals with SB 5599, which would require our state’s electoral votes to go to the national popular vote winner in a presidential election. Since the referendum process is complex, it’s likely many people might have questions about it. Here is a Q&A document that covers…

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