GOP initiatives target Washington's capital gains tax, cap-and-trade
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Conservatives are pushing several ballot measures to try to roll back laws recently passed in Washington state, including the new carbon pricing law and capital gains tax.
Why it matters: If the efforts to repeal those two laws pass, it would mean billions of dollars less revenue for the state in the coming years.
- That would upend majority Democrats' plans to invest more in clean energy projects, transit and child care programs, among other priorities.
Plus: The initiatives — among six backed by the state GOP — could drive up turnout among conservative voters in November, benefiting Republican candidates up and down the ballot in left-leaning Washington.
Catch up quick: Three of the measures have recently been certified by the secretary of state's office, meaning they gathered enough signatures to appear on the November ballot.
- Initiative 2113 would roll back a 2021 law that restricted when police can chase suspects who flee in vehicles.
- Initiative 2117 would repeal Washington's Climate Commitment Act, a cap-and-trade-style law that puts a price on carbon emissions and targets some of the state's biggest polluters.
- Initiative 2081, dubbed a "parents' bill of rights," would guarantee that parents can review their children's school curriculum, among other provisions.
Another three ballot measures may still qualify and are going through signature verification now.
- That includes the initiative to repeal the capital gains tax, I-2109, which is likely to be certified by the secretary of state's office early this week.
- The other two proposed initiatives would let people opt out of the state's long-term care insurance program and block state and local governments from enacting personal income taxes.
Between the lines: The ballot measures head to the state Legislature first, and will appear on the November ballot only if state lawmakers choose not to pass them.
- Lawmakers could also approve an amended version of each initiative that would appear on the November ballot alongside the original.
State of play: So far, Democratic leaders in the House and Senate haven't shown much interest in taking up the Republican measures.
- Last week, House Majority Leader Joe Fitzgibbon (D-Seattle) told reporters that Democrats are "focused on communicating the benefits" of the cap-and-trade system that I-2117 aims to repeal, such as "making sure Washingtonians have clean air."
- Fitzgibbon also called it "really good news" that the U.S. Supreme Court declined last week to take up a challenge to the capital gains tax, allowing the tax to help pay for schools and child care programs.
What they're saying: State Rep. Jim Walsh, who chairs the state Republican Party, said in a recent news release that the carbon pricing law has caused higher gas prices that have hurt Washingtonians.
- Meanwhile, the ballot measure to loosen restrictions on police vehicle chases, I-2113, is necessary to curb rising crime, said Walsh, the citizen sponsor of all six GOP-backed initiatives.
- "We need to restore our law enforcement officers' ability to fight crime effectively. That starts with being able to chase criminals and criminal suspects," Walsh said in a recent press release.
What we're watching: How much money goes into supporting and opposing the ballot measures headed into November, and whether the final remaining initiatives qualify for the ballot.