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Tag: sales tax

Initiative season opens with an Eyman blockbuster

Initiative season opens with an Eyman blockbuster

Washington’s initiative season is open, and much of the early attention is on an attempt by initiative activist Tim Eyman to use a heavy hammer to persuade lawmakers to submit a constitutional amendment to require a two-thirds supermajority for all taxes passed in Olympia. The hammer? If his Initiative 1325 qualifies for the ballot and passes this fall, it would impose an annual $1 billion cut in the state sales tax if legislators refuse to put the constitutional amendment on…

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Lawmakers kick off election-year session

Lawmakers kick off election-year session

Washington lawmakers are back at work, confronting a $1.5 billion budget gap, the possibility of a tax referendum, and a number of touchy social issues, including gay marriage, marijuana, and abortion — all within the context of 2012 being the first election since redistricting. The session got off to a very quiet start at noon Monday, with few speeches and few protesters outside.  That was in marked contrast to the noisy reception lawmakers got when Occupy Olympia and thousands of…

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Re: Sales tax plan stirs to life in Olympia

Re: Sales tax plan stirs to life in Olympia

By the closest possible margin, House Democrats’ sales-tax ballot measure has begun moving through the Legislature. Over the strong objections of minority Republicans, the House Health and Human Services Appropriations Committee voted 8 to 7 in favor of a ballot proposition Tuesday that would ask voters for a temporary three-year boost of three-tenths of a percentage point in the state sales tax. That would up the sales tax rate from 6.5 percent to 6.8 percent. The plan would raise over $1…

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