Eyman: Tax-raising maneuver shows Dems' 'arrogance'
OLYMPIA, Wash. - A heated exchange stirred up passions at the state Legislature on Thursday as Initiative King Tim Eyman lashed out at lawmakers who are repealing the need for a two-thirds vote to raise taxes.
It was just two years ago that state voters passed Initiative 960, which required a two-thirds majority of the Legislature to raise taxes.
Now, Democrats want to raise taxes, but they don't have the two-thirds vote. So they found a way to suspend the initiative.
That brought on the wrath of Tim Eyman, who sponsored I-960. The hearing room was packed as Eyman lashed out at lawmakers.
"Citizens are watching arrogant Democrats deciding that rules don't apply to them," Eyman said to the legislators. "Taxpayers have to follow the law but this bill exempts you from it."
Voters passed I-960 in 2007 with just a bare majority of 51 percent - but it passed - requiring tax hikes to get supermajority approval.
"We didn't raise the bar any higher with 960, we just simply expected our elected officials to respect the law and to follow the constitution when taking more of the people's money," Eyman said Thursday.
But two years after an initiative takes effect, lawmakers can amend it with a simple majority vote. And Democrats are doing just that.
"We believe that our essential services, our public schools, our public colleges and universities are too important to keep making cuts in them, and at some point we do need to have new revenue - but with a two-thirds vote we can't do anything," said state Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles.
That's because they'd need Republican votes - and Republicans don't want new taxes.
State Sen. Don Benton, who is one of those Republicans, said, "I have to ask you today, ladies and gentlemen, what does the phrase 'will of the people' mean to you?"
But Democrats said the Eyman initiative doesn't provide solutions, which led to a heated exchange.
"You talk about fraud, waste and abuse. You never, never, never show it in the budget," said state Sen. Adam Kline, a Democrat who serves as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
But Eyman responded, "Your commitment to be able to do anything to reform government is nonexistent. ... You don't care about anybody's opinion but your own and the voters of this state have said time and time again that if you're going to raise taxes you should follow the rules."
Despite all of the anger, Eyman and the Republicans knew this was coming.
Democrats are looking raise taxes on such items as candy, cigarettes and alcohol.
It was just two years ago that state voters passed Initiative 960, which required a two-thirds majority of the Legislature to raise taxes.
Now, Democrats want to raise taxes, but they don't have the two-thirds vote. So they found a way to suspend the initiative.
That brought on the wrath of Tim Eyman, who sponsored I-960. The hearing room was packed as Eyman lashed out at lawmakers.
"Citizens are watching arrogant Democrats deciding that rules don't apply to them," Eyman said to the legislators. "Taxpayers have to follow the law but this bill exempts you from it."
Voters passed I-960 in 2007 with just a bare majority of 51 percent - but it passed - requiring tax hikes to get supermajority approval.
"We didn't raise the bar any higher with 960, we just simply expected our elected officials to respect the law and to follow the constitution when taking more of the people's money," Eyman said Thursday.
But two years after an initiative takes effect, lawmakers can amend it with a simple majority vote. And Democrats are doing just that.
"We believe that our essential services, our public schools, our public colleges and universities are too important to keep making cuts in them, and at some point we do need to have new revenue - but with a two-thirds vote we can't do anything," said state Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles.
That's because they'd need Republican votes - and Republicans don't want new taxes.
State Sen. Don Benton, who is one of those Republicans, said, "I have to ask you today, ladies and gentlemen, what does the phrase 'will of the people' mean to you?"
But Democrats said the Eyman initiative doesn't provide solutions, which led to a heated exchange.
"You talk about fraud, waste and abuse. You never, never, never show it in the budget," said state Sen. Adam Kline, a Democrat who serves as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
But Eyman responded, "Your commitment to be able to do anything to reform government is nonexistent. ... You don't care about anybody's opinion but your own and the voters of this state have said time and time again that if you're going to raise taxes you should follow the rules."
Despite all of the anger, Eyman and the Republicans knew this was coming.
Democrats are looking raise taxes on such items as candy, cigarettes and alcohol.
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