Eyman's tax initiative passes; charter schools vote close
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SEATTLE (AP) - Washington voters will continue to require the Legislature to get a two-thirds majority vote to raise taxes, but early vote counts showed they are divided on whether to allow charter schools in the state.
Early returns Tuesday night showed the charter schools measure, Initiative 1240, passing narrowly statewide - but behind in voter-rich King County.
The supermajority proposal, Initiative 1185, passed decisively throughout the state.
Anti-tax crusader Tim Eyman cited the results as he called on the Legislature to amend the constitution to make the two-thirds requirement permanent. Initiatives requiring a supermajority for tax increases have repeatedly passed in the state.
"We're not asking for a handout. We've earned it," Eyman said after the first vote tallies were posted online. "We really think this is a clear and unambiguous message from voters."
To amend the state constitution, the Legislature would need to pass the amendment with a two-thirds majority of both houses. The measure would then require a simple majority vote of the people.
Charter school measures have been less popular in Washington state, where voters have rejected the idea three times - in 1995, 2000 and 2004. Washington is one of just nine states that do not allow the independent schools.
Gordon Ross of Bellevue thinks Washington should give charters a try.
"I'm from California, and charter schools work. They're a good alternative," said Ross, 58, who moved to Washington two years ago.
Supporters say the charter school proposal would open as many as 40 of the independent schools over five years and would offer hope for struggling kids and their families. Opponents say charters have a mixed track record in other states and they would take away money from regular public schools.
Jerilyn Fowler of Seattle said she voted against the charter initiative because she was worried about the impact on traditional public schools.
"Schools need a lot of work," said Fowler, who attended private schools as a child.
Proponents of charter schools raised more than $10 million to promote the idea, including $3 million from Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates. Opponents raised considerably less, but had the vocal strength of teachers represented by the Washington Education Association behind them.
The two-thirds tax restriction, meanwhile, has been passed by Washington voters four times since the 1990s. Eyman took over sponsoring the initiative in 2007. He has since filed it every other year to deter lawmakers from suspending the rule, which they can do with a simple majority vote after two years.
Eyman's initiative was somewhat overshadowed this election season by a Washington Supreme Court case to decide the voting requirement's constitutionality. The court has yet to rule on that case.
The supermajority initiative was last approved in 2010 with 64 percent of the vote and appears to be winning with the same margin this year.
Early returns Tuesday night showed the charter schools measure, Initiative 1240, passing narrowly statewide - but behind in voter-rich King County.
The supermajority proposal, Initiative 1185, passed decisively throughout the state.
Anti-tax crusader Tim Eyman cited the results as he called on the Legislature to amend the constitution to make the two-thirds requirement permanent. Initiatives requiring a supermajority for tax increases have repeatedly passed in the state.
"We're not asking for a handout. We've earned it," Eyman said after the first vote tallies were posted online. "We really think this is a clear and unambiguous message from voters."
To amend the state constitution, the Legislature would need to pass the amendment with a two-thirds majority of both houses. The measure would then require a simple majority vote of the people.
Charter school measures have been less popular in Washington state, where voters have rejected the idea three times - in 1995, 2000 and 2004. Washington is one of just nine states that do not allow the independent schools.
Gordon Ross of Bellevue thinks Washington should give charters a try.
"I'm from California, and charter schools work. They're a good alternative," said Ross, 58, who moved to Washington two years ago.
Supporters say the charter school proposal would open as many as 40 of the independent schools over five years and would offer hope for struggling kids and their families. Opponents say charters have a mixed track record in other states and they would take away money from regular public schools.
Jerilyn Fowler of Seattle said she voted against the charter initiative because she was worried about the impact on traditional public schools.
"Schools need a lot of work," said Fowler, who attended private schools as a child.
Proponents of charter schools raised more than $10 million to promote the idea, including $3 million from Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates. Opponents raised considerably less, but had the vocal strength of teachers represented by the Washington Education Association behind them.
The two-thirds tax restriction, meanwhile, has been passed by Washington voters four times since the 1990s. Eyman took over sponsoring the initiative in 2007. He has since filed it every other year to deter lawmakers from suspending the rule, which they can do with a simple majority vote after two years.
Eyman's initiative was somewhat overshadowed this election season by a Washington Supreme Court case to decide the voting requirement's constitutionality. The court has yet to rule on that case.
The supermajority initiative was last approved in 2010 with 64 percent of the vote and appears to be winning with the same margin this year.
After passing such initiatives six times, one might that the legislature might honor
their constituents and amend the constitution to reflect the mandate of those that
they are supposed to represent. Will it actually happen? Not likely........................
I voted for Charter schools, since I have children in public school and I am not happy about the quality of education that they are recieving.Â
Charter schools are worth a shot. Not many will be allowed so it will be a small sampling of what it will look like. I'm hoping they will get more teachers who are more concerned with teaching than with with getting rich.
 @Blindman I don't know ANY teachers around here that are concerned about getting rich. Some of the teachers' union folk are a different issue.
I am hoping for the charter schools to pass... public schools are full of people who do nothing but teach to the lowest common denominator these days. I want my children to be in a school I can hold accountable to produce results called for in their charter public schools now have no such offer and Education Associations are simply Teacher Unions which in some cases deter or outright prevent necessary changes!... hopefully it passes this time....to at least get the ball rolling for those who have children who excel more than others I am sad to hear some are forced to wait for the rest of the class to catch up....if public schools now wanted to fix something they would make class #-(1-4) the faster students all get in the higher classes and the lower ones go I the lower. That way the teachers time is not so split up by students who just don't get something over the ones that do!
Passage of these bills are a HUGE mistake Washington. Charter schools deplete public school funds and, if you look nationally at outcomes, they perform no better unless they cull all the top students from the larger pool to begin with. The two-thirds requirement is designed for government gridlock... something we need to move away from not toward... both of these are destructive.
 @ytboarder Not all charter schools are set up the same. On average, they are about average. If you look at the ones that have strong oversight and accountability, they do poorly. (surprise, surprise!) And, when you look at the ones with strong oversight and accountability, they do better than the average public school in their area. Saying they shouldn't be done simply because on average they are average is WAY to simplistic Much has been learned on who to do them in the last decade.
@ytboarder "...Charter schools deplete public school funds" You are misinformed; Charter schools ARE public schools. They are smaller, more flexible for curriculum (still must meet State Standards), and give Parents the ability to hold Teachers and Administrators accountable. Charter schools function the same way Running Start functions; monies are still allocated per student BUT are reallocated to another education institution (i.e. Community College's instead of High Schools). The Public High School system didnât come crashing to the ground and neither will the rest of the Public School system.
Yeah thanks Washington, let's make it impossible for the state legislature to get any work done to balance the budget. Don't come crying to me when the budget can't be balanced and the state goes bankrupt. *slow claps*
Has this state ever had a balanced buget without stealing from Peter to pay Paul?? Think again
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 @BluefireJaguar The simple solution is do not spend more than you take in.
Our legislatures, and governor state increased spending by over 30% during a
downturn in the economy.  That fact alone showed that they were out of control.
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If Joe and Mary Citizens tried such a ploy, they would have been bankrupt.
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The runaway spending by our state proved that there had to be some sort of reins
required to halt increased spending and the initiative process made that goal
possible.
@BluefireJaguar Geeze, you must be rich to pay for all of the new taxes that two-thirds tax restriction prevents.Â
I voted in favor of charter schools. Our public school system is miserably failing our children so its time to try something different.
 @Tattooed_Angel So taking money AWAY from the public school system is the answer? I don't think so.
 @BluefireJaguar Charter Schools are public schools.
 @BluefireJaguar Again, Charter schools ARE public schools. They are smaller, more flexible for curriculum (still must meet State Standards), and give Parents the ability to hold Teachers and Administrators accountable. Charter schools function the same way Running Start functions; monies are still allocated per student BUT are reallocated to another education institution (i.e. Community College's instead of High Schools). The Public High School system didnât come crashing to the ground and neither will the rest of the Public School system.
@BluefireJaguar I don't see it as taking money away from the public schools. I see it as funneling MY tax dollars into a more promising outlook for my children's education. Our public schools have royally failed our children. School is just a place for children to go to pass time and be babysat. It is time for a change and this is the best hope I have for my children's education future.
In the 90's I moved my 2nd and 4th grade children to Private school. I had no choice. The public school they were enrolled in were not educating my children. Being in the Seattle school district was such a nightmare. It was full of burnt out tenured teachers and administrators who frankly didn't give a crap. I voted for charter schools. Now they can fire personal for non-performance.
Once again the voters have spoken and now the state will again go to the Supreme Court to get it overturned. You all believe that this country is run by you? No it is run by the people you get to elect into office. They vote the way they want and if you didn't get to vote them in they would get appointed by a government commission. You are not running this country they are.
Darn i knew i should have kept my 4x4 . Now my little car with the great gas mileage will fall into all those giant pot holes soon to be appearing on  our highways as the government starts down the road of balanced budgets. oh well the tire shops will get rich on alignments and tires as we hit all those holes. My city is always $90,000 in the red at years end and  we already enjoy the pot holes for weeks until they can save up enough pennies to buy a bag or two of asphalt to fill in the holes. they can't afford to fix the streets right but then the taxes are low here. the smaller cities are helped by the state but soon those funds will dry up as the state balances the budget and cuts even more $$$ to the counties and cities.Â
This will be the the 5th time the people of this State have passed the 2/3-rds rule. ...this time by a 64% margin....
I look forward to voting for it again after what looks like another Democratic union stooge Governor, (if current # keeps up), & lemming kool-aid swigging union puppet legislators flip their collective middle finger at us citizens & overturn it again.
Thank You Mr. Eyeman for keeping our tax hungry politicians in check and trying to keep their crack pipe empty.
And this one, like the others will be declared unconstitutional, and millions of state dollars will be wasted in a futile attmpt by Timmy & his minions to defend this. Dont you folks get it that you cannot enact this type of restrain on the legislature in this manner. It MUST be done by the state constitution? If you REALLY believe that hamstringing our elected representatives in this manner is good government... DO IT RIGHT... Amend the Constitution... or knock it off & quit wasting state resources!
Teacher unions are sweating.
 @Romey-Rome the teachers unions management is paid very well and are not sweating. Who do you think is behind the charter school movements? More teachers are more money to union management as they are paid more for every union member who comes on board. We don't need public funds going to private charter schools. we need to stop letting the teachers unions run the school system and start tossing out the dead wood. We need to be known as the nation with the best public schools, not the nation with the highest paid teachers.
 @32jim2 Charter Schools will NOT be required to hire union employees.
The prime requirement will be a teachers certificate.
Charter schools are actually public schools, not private schools.
Charter schools will be funded by the public and private schools will still
be funded by the parents of the students that attend that private school.
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You obviously did not study the issue before voting and I find that to be a sad
commentary regarding a voter's knowledge of the actually issues placed
before them.
So, when the Supreme Court rules the 2/3 majority unconstitutional in the previous measure, does that apply to this too.. or do they have to rule seperately that this one is also unconstitutional?
 @EMDF9A They will rule it again, as it is unconstitutional. If Timmy thinks he can run government better then he should run for office and stop this little career as funded-initiative-boy.Â
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AMEN Sgt!
@Devils_Advocate - and the blind keep voting for Timmy Eyeman initiatives that violate the constitution and are overturned. How's that for a group being blind fools? his rate of actual success is very low (success defined as initiatives that pass that are NOT overturned as unconstitutional). Why is that? It's because he's a snake oil salesman who's got a pretty lucrative gig going. He doesn't care that his initiatives are overturned at a very high rate - as long as he can keep making money off the backs of the blindly obedient that pass his initiatives.
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I'm all for reigning in government spending. If you want the 2/3's approval (which I personally think is pathetically wrong - it creates a tyranny of the minority that will screw this state as badly as California has been) - then go do it in a CONSTITUTIONAL way instead of repeatedly passing unconstitutional initiatives. Â
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 @Citizen#3457899654 Spoken like a true, blue blooded King County citizen who thinks all the citizens of WA are the government's piggy bank. Never mind a budget, financial accountability to taxpayers, or special interests; just spend, spend, spend.
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Thank you, Tim Eyman. You're obviously doing something important, because the majority of Washingtonians agree with you.
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And Citizen # bleep - bleep, you might like being blue, but just for once, try being purple.....if you even know what I mean.
@Yadayada @Citizen#3457899654Â No they don't know about purple, but thats OK. What I have wanted for years is to do away with the 2 party system. I was once again appalled at voters simply voting Blue, never READING THE ISSUES, never mind a candidates platform and what their plan or intent once elected. This is why Eyman has employment. King Co. voters govern this state. If we were to do away with the democratic and republican party TITLES, then people (some) will actually have to read their voters pamphlet and make educated choices.
If you and the majority of Washingtonians want to hamstring our government in this way, there IS a legal and constitutional mechanism for you to to do this. It is to AMEND THE CONSTITUTION. Unless and until you do it THIS WAY you will continued to be defeated in the courts and you will continue to waste precious state resources. FormerMarine Sgt said it well... Timmy need to lead from the front... get himself elected to a position where he can actually DO the work he espouses others to do....and enact his measures in a constitutional manner.. or GO AWAY!
@Yadayada @Citizen#3457899654 - the problem is that Timmy Eyeman doesn't have the courage to lead from in front. He wants to lead from behind a big brick wall where he can spew falsehoods, vague generalities and blame a generic 'government' for not doing 'the people's will' while his initiatives only give vague instructions as to what .the people's will' is.
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Here's the reality:
Joe Average 'Eyeman' initiative supporter: Yeah - reduce taxes - but don't you dare touch MY pet projects, don't you dare cut ANYTHING that I want, cut what those other people want. They don't deserve it. Damm government for spending money!!! (Except on those things I want them to spend money on). Damm goverment for taking more tax money than I want them too! Damm them for needing directions on what to cut and Damm them for us not telling them what we really want to cut while placing limits on what can actually be cut.Â
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That's the reality. Way too many folks want 'someone else's stuff cut, but don't you dare cut MY stuff' and they claim this WHILE complaining that government spends too much money.   Eyeman is a master at this deception. He's never given any specific directions on what he wants cut. He makes the claim that it's olympia's job to define the cuts AND he claims they're too stupid to know what to cut... AND people just suck it up, not realizing that he's telling people that they can have thier cake and eat it too.
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@Citizen#3457899654 @EMDF9A The people (WE) voted it in, not Timmy.