The News Tribune editorial board asks, “Would voters still like I-1351 with tax included?” They suggest the outcome might be different, pointing out…
The more Washingtonians looked at Initiative 1351 last fall, the less they liked it.
Another look may be in the offing. The initiative’s price tag has played a role in recent legislative efforts to improve disclosure of the fiscal effects of ballot measures. The News Tribune sees merit in a referendum:
All the reasons that made this initiative a stinker last fall are reasons to give the voters another shot at it. Lawmakers can put the exact same measure on the ballot, but this time with a funding provision – an income tax, say, or an increment to the sales tax….I-1351’s supporters can hardly object to a referendum that includes revenues – unless, that is, they were trying to fool the voters last year into thinking they were getting a freebie.
