Posted on 06/16/2005 8:18:07 PM PDT by truth49
OLYMPIA—The coalition fighting to save the provisions of I-601 requiring a two-thirds vote to raise taxes announced today that three more groups have joined their cause — one as a plaintiff and two others by filing amicus curiae briefs.
Citing its longstanding ideals of fiscal responsibility in the government and honoring the will of the voters, the Washington Association of REALTORS® has joined the Saving I-601 Coalition as a plaintiff.
Both the Institute for Justice and the Association of Washington Business (AWB) have demonstrated their support by filing amicus curiae (friend of the court) briefs in support of saving I-601.
The Institute for Justice Washington Chapter (IJ-WA) works to vindicate the constitutional rights of the residents of the Evergreen State. IJ-WA’s brief states, “This case involves a challenge to the fundamental right of Washingtonians to govern themselves through the referendum process. The approach urged by the State threatens to undermine the rights IJ-WA was established to vindicate.”
AWB’s brief states, “AWB was involved in drafting and passage of I-601 and has long worked with the legislature to preserve the core elements of that initiative.” The brief dispels the contention made by some legislators that gutting I-601 was necessary to pass a budget, since the bill to gut I-601 was debated and passed from the Senate a full week before any budget was even introduced. AWB took an active role during the past legislative session in opposing SB 6078, the bill that is the subject of this legal challenge.
“We knew that AWB supported our effort and it is great to see them take an active role,” said Bob Williams, President of the Evergreen Freedom Foundation, a coalition member. “Just about every major business group has told us that they support our effort, but we had to move so quickly to file our action that some groups were unable to work their internal process at the outset.”
Washington Farm Bureau’s attempt to file a referendum affidavit was rejected by the Secretary of State on April 29, thus setting into motion the present action before the Supreme Court. The Court will hear this case on June 30.
“Since we have been denied the 90 days to gather signatures guaranteed by the constitution, we hope the Court will either extend the deadline or declare the change to the two-thirds vote requirement unconstitutional,” Washington Farm Bureau director of government relations Dan Wood stated.
The deadline to submit signatures for a referendum challenge is July 24. Farm Bureau and the other groups in the I-601 coalition have been unable to gather signatures because of the Secretary of State’s actions.
For more information about Saving I-601 or any of the Coalition members, go to www.save601.org.
You would think that the Secretary of State is a demorat by the moves he's made again Republicans and conservatives, but he's not. He is a true RINO. First he sides with the demorats in the vote for governor fraud fiasco and now this.
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