GOP readies for floor fight on I-960

posted 10:40 AM 02/09
Permanent Link.

Minority Republicans know the Senate Democrats have plenty of votes to rework the two-thirds vote requirement for tax increases that was part of Initaitive 960. So they are bringing a light touch to this morning's pending vote.

Sen. Dan Swecker, R-Rochester, stuck a five-dollar bill into an empty plastic cup, calling it the "Kool-Ade Fund," an offering to Democrats about the drink up party loyalty and vote for Senate Bill 6843.

"I'm just getting started," Swecker said.

Passage of the measure and a likely vote soon in the House will send it to the governor for signing. It opens the door for Democrats to then approve tax increases as they begin closing a budget gap now measuring $2.2 billion. Sen. Joe Zarelli, the top Republican on budget matters, said he has a few amendments ready for what will be a prolonged floor debate, it appears. "We want this to be a very informed debate," Zarelli said. "This does more than just reform the initiative.''

Zarelli called attention to bill details that, he said, redefine taxes as not needing supermajority votes in the future.

Democratic Sen. Tim Sheldon of Potlatch said he's voting against the bill. He said voters in his 35th district voted in favor of I-960, which passed in 2007. Sheldon said his recent constituent survey showed half of voters in his district favor an all-cuts approach to closing the budget gap.

Zarelli predicted the measure will pass by just 25 votes with Democrats protecting members not in the Seattle area.

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