Vanity - NPI Intimidation towards WA state signature gatherers? (Is this happening in your state?)

http://www.nwprogressive.org/weblog/2006/02/report-right-wing-signature-gathering.html ^ | February 18, 2006 | Self

[Seattle Conservative]

Came across this and thought I'd pass it along. If it's happening here, there are probably similar organizations in other states and areas. This is from their Web site:

"Report Right Wing Signature Gathering Activity - Add A Button to Your Site Yesterday, I wrote the following:

Progressive activists should be on the lookout for signature gatherers collecting signatures for Initiative 917 and other right wing initiatives.

If you see petitioners collecting signatures for any right wing initiative, please use Permanent Defense's new reporting tool to tell us about it so we can more efficiently organize and mobilize.

Permanent Defense now has buttons available that you can add to your own blog or website pointing to the reporting tool. The smaller version of the button is now on the Official Blog's sidebar (to your right) while Permanent Defense's main page is using the larger version."

"The more people that know about the reporting tool, the better. If progressives keep their eyes and ears open and report signature gathering activity when they observe it, that will help us to track how the right wing signature drives are going and allow us to mobilize volunteers that we can send out to exercise our free speech rights."

"Telling voters who might sign these petitions the other side of the story is extremely important if we want to stop Eyman and his right wing cohorts from deceiving the public. Thanks to everyone who adds a button to their site for their help. # Posted by Andrew : 12:47 PM"

There are 2 buttons on their site:

"Report Right Wing Signature Gathering Activity"

"Have You Met A Petitioner? Report Right Wing Signature Gathering Activity Now"

[Billthedrill]

Been awhile since I was in Seattle but it's good to see that Eyman's back. For those who don't know, 917 is a reprise of an older initiative that limited the state's ability to jack up motor vehicle tab fees. Correct me if I'm wrong, but that one was thrown out by the Washington State Supreme Court, was it not? That would be the same court system that permitted Gregoire's fraudulent election...

[festus]

What is prop 917 ?

[VeniVidiVici]

LOL! The Liberal Gestapo at work.

[Seattle Conservative]

You're correct that 917 is on license tab fees, though, my read on this site is that they're against and want to know about any petition 'right-wingers' are for.

"For decades, Washington's taxpayers, especially working families and senior citizens, were tortured with tab fees reaching hundreds and many times thousands of dollars every single year for their cars, light trucks, SUV's, vans, motorcycles, motor homes, RV's, campers, travel trailers and other vehicles. For decades, struggling taxpayers implored politicians to relieve this unfair, crushing burden. For decades, politicians arrogantly dismissed the average taxpayers' plight, while at the same time handing out like candy billions of dollars in tax breaks, subsidies, and spending for powerful special interest groups.

Plenty for the big guys, nothing for the little guy.

With decades of proof that politicians would forever ignore this festering problem, we tried to do something about it. In 1998, we sponsored an initiative. We worked extremely hard, came close, but didn't get enough signatures. Did politicians respond? No.

So we tried again. In 1999, we sponsored I-695, "The $30 License Tab Initiative," and the public's response was overwhelming. We got over 514,000 signatures, the second highest number in state history. Big Business, Big Labor, politicians, and the press unified to defeat this tax cut for the little guy but despite being radically outspent, the voters overwhelmingly approved it. But because of the now-infamous single-subject rule, the courts vetoed our popular initiative.

It was at this point that politicians stepped forward, claiming they got the message. The votes in the house and senate were near unanimous and the Governor promptly signed $30 tabs into law. Politicians' promises were unambiguous, summed up by Gary Locke: "$30 license tabs are here to stay."

Despite these promises, taxpayers were still being charged more than $30. So we tried again. In 2002, we pushed Initiative 776, "$30 Tabs for Everyone." Even though it was approved by voters and upheld by the state supreme court, state and local governments are still collecting taxes and fees above $30.

The arrogance is overwhelming.

Public trust in government is at an all-time low. Politicians need to look in the mirror and realize that it's their broken promises that have caused this distrust. Next year's initiative - "Save Our $30 Tabs" - is an invaluable opportunity to remind politicians that we expect them to live up to their promises.

For average taxpayers, it's darn expensive owning vehicles. Monthly vehicle payments are a huge part of our family budgets, as are gas bills, insurance, parking, tires, and repairs. We have to pay a huge sales tax when we buy our vehicles and a huge gas tax when we use our vehicles. We're already paying more than our fair share.

Oregon and Idaho charge a flat, low, reasonable fee to license a vehicle. There's no reason it can't work that way in Washington too. Don't let politicians ignore our two votes, break their promises, and return us to outrageously expensive tabs. Help us save our $30 tabs."

http://www.i-900.com/

[Billthedrill]

BTT. I live in Idaho now and was pleasantly surprised by licensing fees. The biggest difficulty with the old Washington system was that the money went to the general fund, not for highways and bridges.

Someday I hope to own a pickup worth more than the plates on it...

[yevgenie]

Now this sounds like an excellent opportunity for a web FReep! Everyone should submit fake reports about activity all over the state to keep the morons busy.

[xarmydog]

Lived in CONN.for a short period of time.Bought an old t-bird clunker for a winter vehicle,paid 600 bucks.When I went to register it,I was told I had to pay taxes on what "the book"value said.According to the book value,I had to pay taxes on 1500 dollars!After much debate,I told the lady to come outside and look At the car,which she did.After we went back inside,she told me she would give me a "break".I only had to pay on 1200 dollars of assessed value.As I said earlier,I only lived there a short time.A VERY short time.