Tag Archives: constitution

The more money in taxpayers pockets, the better’ says Warnick after attempt to ban state income tax

The state Senate’s Democrat minority today blocked a proposed constitutional amendment that would ban a tax on individual incomes.

All 25 members of the Senate majority supported the measure, joined by two members of the Senate’s Democrat minority. However, Senate Joint Resolution 8204 required a two-thirds majority to pass, or 33 votes of the 49-member Senate, meaning it fell short due to a lack of Democrat support.

Had the measure been approved, the state House of Representatives would also need to approve the measure by a two-thirds vote for it to go to voters in November. Sen. Judy Warnick, R-Moses Lake, issued the following statement after the vote.

“I am fighting to protect the will of the voters. Since the 1930s, Washingtonians have said repeatedly that the state should not have an income tax, and this resolution would have enshrined that in our state’s constitution. I believe it is a necessary measure to prevent special-interest groups from finding ways, as they have tried in Olympia and are now proposing in Seattle, from taking more taxpayer funds for pet projects.

“State spending has nearly doubled since the start of this century, yet the state’s population has only increased by 20 percent. That means that we are spending more and getting less. The push for more revenue is unwarranted and detrimental to our state’s economy as a whole and for families who would be hit hard by a tax on their income.

“The more money the taxpayers have in their pockets, the better. State government doesn’t need another revenue source that would allow endless spending, and reverse progress the Senate majority has made in prioritizing education and jobs – the real priorities of state government.”

Sen. Warnick’s E-newsletter – February 24, 2016

Update from Olympia – February 24, 2016

Greetings Friends and Neighbors,

With just a few weeks left in the 2016 legislative session, our Senate majority continues to build on the results we achieved in 2015 while pushing for increased transparency and accountability in state government. I have been fortunate to have several of my priority bills approved by the state Senate; they are now working their way through the House of Representatives. As chair of the Senate Agriculture, Water and Rural Economic Development committee I continue to advocate for common-sense reforms to how our state engages with farmers and other agricultural producers, as well as seek bipartisan solutions to water issues around our state.

Increasing access to water

Getting agreement on water issues is challenging. This year, fortunately, one of my bills to improve access to water rights cleared the Senate with near-unanimous approval. Senate Bill 6513 comes in response to the state Department of Ecology’s notification to Chelan County that permits would not be issued. The legislation would direct Ecology to act on water-rights applications in the Wenatchee and Elwha-Dungeness river basins.

Expanding benefits for first responders

The Senate has approved my legislation to expand retirement and disability benefits to first responders injured or killed while responding to natural disasters or other federal emergencies. Senate Bill 6263, approved unanimously, would allow members of the Law Enforcement Officers and Fire Fighters Retirement System (LEOFF 2) pension plan to receive unreduced retirement benefits for injuries that are currently considered duty related.

Protecting crops from pests and disease

Agriculture is extremely important in our district and state. Last year, the value of Washington’s apple crop alone was $3.7 billion, with total economic value to the state being $8 billion. It is critical to protect our producers whose efforts drive our state’s economy. To that end, legislation that I introduced was approved by the Senate to prevent the spread of invasive species, pests and disease through compost.

Senate Bill 6605 would create a process for the state Department of Agriculture to review applications for moving waste for composting from facilities in quarantine areas to areas not under quarantine. The goal is to review information to ensure that facilities are not at risk of spreading plant pathogens, disease or pests.

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Voters’ voices silenced by minority Democrats on 2/3rds tax-vote amendment

Last week I voted to let Washingtonians have the final word on requiring approval from a two-thirds majority in the Legislature to raise taxes. Senate Joint Resolution 8211, which would let voters amend the state constitution to include the popular two-thirds tax-vote threshold, failed to receive support from the Senate’s minority Democrats and therefore fell short of the 33 votes it needed to move to the House of Representatives (constitutional amendments require a higher level of approval, and tax increases should too).

The voters in Washington have said six times over two decades that it should be harder for the state to raise taxes. Their voices should be heard. The solution to our state’s challenges is not taking more and more of the people’s money. Our Senate majority has demonstrated that we can make issues like education a priority without raising taxes. Minority Democrats in the Senate made every excuse as to why they didn’t trust the people of Washington to have a voice, and I think they are wrong.

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It is an honor to serve as your state Senator. Please don’t hesitate to contact me with questions regarding state government.

Sincerely,

Signature

Judy Warnick,

13th District Senator

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Voter’s voice denied on 2/3rds tax increase amendment

Sen. Judy Warnick, R-Moses Lake, voted today to let Washington voters have the final say on requiring a higher level of approval for tax measures. Senate Joint Resolution 8211, which would change the state constitution so that tax increases would need support from a two-thirds majority of lawmakers, failed to receive the necessary 33 votes in the Senate for adoption which means voters will not be able to decide on a ballot measure to change the state constitution.

“The voters in Washington have said six times for over two decades that it should be harder for the state to raise taxes and their voice should be heard,” said Warnick. “The solution to our state’s challenges is not taking more and more of the people’s money. Our Senate majority has demonstrated that we can make issues like education a priority without raising taxes. Minority Democrats in the Senate made every excuse as to why they didn’t trust the people of Washington to have a voice, and I think they are wrong.”

A respected research poll conducted statewide in December found 60 percent of those responding believe a supermajority vote by lawmakers should be required to raise taxes; 65 percent agreed voters should be given a chance to vote on whether to make the supermajority tax-approval rule part of the state constitution.

“Today’s vote was not about taxes. Today’s vote was about the people,” Warnick said. “In 2012, 73 percent the voters in my district supported I-1185, which required a two-thirds majority to raise taxes only to have the state Supreme Court rule it unconstitutional. It is disappointing that this effort to let voters decide if they want to amend their constitution was defeated.”

SJR 8211 would define “raise taxes” as any action or combination of actions that increase state tax revenue deposited into any fund, budget, or account. It also would require a simple-majority vote in both legislative chambers to impose or increase a fee in any fiscal year; that change would end lawmakers’ practice of delegating the fee-setting authority to various agencies.