Sunday, January 11, 2015

Help stand for the 2/3 majority for a tax increase

URGENT: Please forward this to everyone you know.

Saturday, January 10th, 2014

The Tacoma News Tribune just reported that Republican Senator Bruce Dammeier opposes reinstating the 2/3 vote requirement for tax increases: Jordan Schrader Jan 8 -- Senate Rs Ericksen & Baumgartner pitched 2/3-for-taxes Senate rule Thurs, but Rs not united on it. Sen Dammeier opposes, for example #waleg
https://twitter.com/Jordan_Schrader/status/553237044390944768

 Now I'm afraid Republican Senators Andy Hill, Joe Fain, and Steve Litzow are opposed too.
This is very upsetting. If these 4 Republicans defect and join with the Democrats, the 2/3 protection will not be reinstated on Monday. It would be a brutal betrayal of their constituents' trust.
 
This vote should be a no-brainer for them: 71% of Bruce Dammeier's constituents want the 2/3 reinstated, 63% of Andy Hill's constituents want the 2/3 reinstated, 70% of Joe Fain's constituents want the 2/3 reinstated, 61% of Steve Litzow's constituents want the 2/3 reinstated. The other 22 Senators in the Majority Coalition Caucus want the 2/3 reinstated.

Each of you has from now until Sunday night to convince these 4 Senators to not defect and to support reinstating the 2/3 protection on Monday.
 

Send them a clear message: "Don't betray us. Support bringing back the 2/3 protection on Monday."

Bruce Dammeier's contact phone number is: 253-370-7198
Andy Hill's contact phone number is: 425-577-7269
Joe Fain's contact phone number is: 206-409-9418
Steve Litzow's contact phone number is: 206-275-2245
Please take the time to contact all 4 of them this weekend. Tell them to support reinstating the 2/3 on Monday. Tell them not to fight their 22 Senate colleagues who strongly support reinstating the 2/3 on Monday. Tell them to support this invaluable opportunity to protect the taxpayers (for the next two years) by bringing back the 2/3 requirement on Monday.

Your friend and ally, Tim Eyman, 425-493-9127,
tim_eyman@comcast.net

P.S. For background on this effort, see the email update below:


Almost 2/3 of voters support the 2/3.

5 times the voters have approved the 2/3 by initiative. The last time, in 2012, the 2/3 received more votes than any initiative in state history (
http://results.vote.wa.gov/results/20121106/Initiative-Measure-No-1185-Concerns-tax-and-fe e-increases-imposed-by-state-government_ByCounty.html). It got more votes than Inslee got. It got more votes than Obama got. It passed in every county. It was overwhelmingly approved in all 44 legislative districts outside Seattle. It was endorsed by most of the daily newspapers (Seattle Times, Spokesman Review, Vancouver Columbian, Kitsap Sun, Walla Walla Union-Bulletin, Longview Daily News, Yakima Herald-Republic, Tri-City Herald, Centralia Chronicle, Wenatchee World, Columbia Basin Herald, Bellevue/Issaquah/Sammamish Reporter, Kitsap Peninsula Business Journal, Yakima Valley Business Times, and more).

Consensus (con·sen·sus) -- general agreement; judgment arrived at by most of those concerned; solidarity.

Clearly, there is an overwhelming consensus for the 2/3.

The voters have heard all the arguments and they've made their choice: they want it to be tougher to raise taxes.

If the 26 members of the Senate Majority Coalition Caucus institute a 2/3 rule for higher taxes next week, those 26 senators will have effectively represented their constituents -- 1.9 million voters will thank them.

Those 26 senators represent legislative districts packed with voters who overwhelmingly support the 2/3. The average level of voter support for the 2/3 in their 26 districts is 70.12%.

Here's the 26 senators and the support for the 2/3 in their districts:

7th districtBrian Dansel75%
20th districtJohn Braun75%
2nd districtRandi Becker74%
4th districtMike Padden74%
31st districtPam Roach73%
13th districtJudy Warnick73%
8th districtSharon Brown73%
12th districtLinda Evans Parlette73%
39th districtKirk Pearson72%
17th districtDon Benton72%
18th districtAnn Rivers72%
16th districtMike Hewitt72%
25th districtBruce Dammeier71%
9th districtMark Schoesler70%
14th districtCurtis King70%
47th districtJoe Fain70%
26th districtJan Angel70%
35th districtTim Sheldon69%
30th districtMark Miloscia69%
15th districtJim Honeyford68%
10th districtBarbara Bailey68%
6th districtMichael Baumgartner68%
28th districtSteve O'Ban67%
45th districtAndy Hill63%
42nd districtDoug Ericksen61%
41st districtSteve Litzow61%

A 2/3 rule will only protect taxpayers for the next two years. It is temporary. But it is the best option until the Legislature lets the people vote on a constitutional amendment (which provides permanent protection).

Send an email to the 26 senators (cut and paste the email addresses below into the "To" line of your email) and simply write: "Respect the 2/3 of voters who support the 2/3 and pass the 2/3 rule":

brian.dansel@leg.wa.gov; john.braun@leg.wa.gov; randi.becker@leg.wa.gov; mike.padden@leg.wa.gov; pam.roach@leg.wa.gov; judy.warnick@leg.wa.gov; sharon.brown@leg.wa.gov; linda.parlette@leg.wa.gov; kirk.pearson@leg.wa.gov; don.benton@leg.wa.gov; ann.rivers@leg.wa.gov; mike.hewitt@leg.wa.gov; bruce.dammeier@leg.wa.gov; mark.schoesler@leg.wa.gov; curtis.king@leg.wa.gov; joe.fain@leg.wa.gov; jan.angel@leg.wa.gov; timothy.sheldon@leg.wa.gov; mark.miloscia@leg.wa.gov; jim.honeyford@leg.wa.gov; Barbara.bailey@leg.wa.gov; Michael.baumgartner@leg.wa.gov; steve.oban@leg.wa.gov; andy.hill@leg.wa.gov; doug.ericksen@leg.wa.gov; steve.litzow@leg.wa.gov
; tim_eyman@comcast.net

We will bird-dog this effort and let you know how it turns out.



If you support our efforts to stop tax increases in 2015 and appreciate our efforts to protect taxpayers, please send us a donation for $10, $25, $50, $100, $250, $500, $1000, $2500, $5000 or more (there are no limits on how much can be given). You can go to our website - www.VotersWantMoreChoices.com and make a secure on-line contribution by PayPal or VISA or M/C. OR, you can print this form, fill it out, and return it with a check or credit card information.

Thank you.

Sincerely,
Tim Eyman, Jack Fagan, & Mike F
agan, Fighting for Taxpayers for 16 years, 425-493-9127, tim_eyman@comcast.net, www.VotersWantMoreChoices.com

P.S. There are thousands of politicians, bureaucrats, lobbyists, and special interest groups working each and every day to raise your taxes. Shouldn't there be at least one person, one team, one organization that fights to lower your taxes? Please help us so we can continue our successful efforts on behalf of taxpayers.

"Nothing ventured, nothing gained." Benjamin Franklin

No comments: