As we head into this holiday weekend, you can bet initiative supporters will be out in force with clipboards in hand, looking for your signature.
We put together this simple guide to the two major ballot measures that are collecting signatures this summer. We hope these recommendations will help you make informed choices about which initiatives to support. You might save this in your inbox so you have it handy when someone asks you to sign, then share this email to a friend!
Decline to Sign Tim Eyman’s I-1648
This is Tim Eyman’s latest bad idea, which should tell you everything you need to know. Washington has the most upside-down tax code in the country and this initiative would make it much more difficult to make the wealthy pay their share. I-1648 would overturn the progressive tax reforms enacted by the Legislature this spring and put a time limit on future tax reforms. If passed, this initiative would blow a hole in the state budget and cut billions from public schools, affordable housing, mental health care, clean energy investments, and more.
Don’t let Tim Eyman drag us backwards. Decline to sign I-1648!
Decline to Sign R-88 This year, the Washington state Legislature approved I-1000, which overturned Washington’s multi-decade ban on affirmative action. I-1000 allows race, sex, ethnicity, national origin, age, sexual orientation, disability, or veteran status to be factors when considering education or employment – but bans using any of those characteristics as the sole or deciding factor. I-1000 will prevent discrimination in public hiring and wage practices, prevent discrimination in public education, and ensure government contracts are awarded fairly. R-88 seeks to ban affirmative action by overturning I-1000. This referendum would put I-1000, which the Legislature already passed, on the fall ballot for approval or rejection by the voters. Conservative signature gatherers for R-88 are using deceptive and misleading messages that falsely claim they support equality.
Don’t be fooled! Decline to sign R-88.
