The American Beverage Association of Washington, D.C., has provided all but $25 of the more than $1.7 million raised by the Stop the Food and Beverage Taxes campaign committee. That accounts for the remarkable speed at which signatures were collected over eight days so far.
According to Brian Zylstra of the Office of the Secretary of State:
The measure needs just 241,153 valid voter signatures, but 300,000 is considered a safe cushion to qualify for the Nov. 2 ballot. The taxes at issue with I-1107 would raise $100.7 million for state coffers through June 2011 and similar amounts for each of the following two years.
Backers of two other measures reported in the last two days they also plan to turn in signatures.
Retailers seeking to let private businesses sell liquor plan to file signatures at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, And the Building Industry Association of Washington plans to file 300,000 signatures on July 2 for I-1082; it proposes to let private insurers sell workers compensation coverage to businesses in Washington.
State elections officials say as many as six citizen measures and three legislative measures could be on the general-election ballot.
