Washington State has a mail-ballot system, so that we can vote ahead of election day by up to three weeks. On the six “big” elections, as it applies to the City of Seattle, this is how I will be voting:
§ Initiative 1033: Oppose
This is the stupidest bit of “citizen governance” that I’ve ever seen in my entire life, or even heard of being proposed. It’s so stupid, in fact, that it’s fooling people into thinking it’s a good thing by hiding it’s stupidity in plain sight. It’s an initiative to lower taxes! Yippee, what could go wrong there? Read on.
Eastern Washington in 2012 if I-1033 becomes law.
The existence of I-1033 is essentially the State of Washington being trolled by far-Right lobbyists from various extreme anti-taxation camps. How bad will the state be if we had I-1033 in place for a decade? Even if the recession breaks 100% on January 1st, 2010, Washington State will be locked into the nightmare financial situation we’re in today. In most ways it’s an end run around calling it outright a Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights, a sham concept pushed by the ultra-right and anti-government groups.
I-1033 will lead to this.
As far as I know, the only real “taxpayer bill of rights” that’s somehow become law was in the state of Colorado, and it caused so many problems for them that over several years they legislatively neutered it into irrelevance. The Colorado TABOR, as they call it, has been a disaster for them. We can’t even allow this craziness to get a foothold here, and have to stop the fringe and wealthy barbarians at the gate now. If we don’t, we’d end up cutting all manner of social services, teachers–everything.
This initiative exists to serve no purpose but to save money for the selfish wealthy. I have zero desire to live in a Washington State that looks like a Mad Max film.
Thankfully, it looks like it’s finally starting to show signs of death in polling. Why is I-1033 stupid? Simple: It ties government spending to current levels, and forces the state and local governments to refund collected taxes above those limits–and ties all of this to the level of spending and tax revenues for the preceding year. It basically forces all state and local governments to freeze their taxation at 2009 levels, which are the lowest they’ve been since the GREAT DEPRESSION.
I-1033 lock us into that approximate level of government taxation and revenue for the entire time period that the initiative is law. Even if we need to raise funding for critical reasons, it forces you to cut spending elsewhere. Need more teachers? Cut homeless shelters. Need more homeless shelters? Cut some animal shelters. Need some more animal shelters? Cut some teachers, and so on.
Vote oppose on I-1033.
§ Referendum 71: Support
Besides I-1033, R-71 is the huge war currently rolling, which has even reached the United States Supreme Court before it’s even been fully voted on, and there are a host of side lawsuits already underway. Every last bit is being fought over, up to and including anti-gay groups trying to get Washington State’s campaign finance laws overturned as an “exemption” so that they can flood the state with anonymous (literally!) money for more advertising. From Approve Referendum 71.org, this is why point by point we need Referendum 71 to pass:
Gay and lesbian families need domestic partnership laws to provide essential protections for their families. Committed couples who want to take care of each other should be allowed to visit each other in the hospital, take family and medical leave when a loved one is seriously ill, and have insurance coverage. By voting to Approve Referendum 71, you will vote to ensure that all families are provided the same protections under the law.
Families with children need the protections provided by domestic partnership laws, especially when a parent dies. By voting to Approve Referendum 71, you will vote to ensure that all children are provided the same protections under the law.
Seniors need the protections provided by domestic partnership laws. For seniors, domestic partnerships mean that their hard-earned social security, military or pension benefits are not put at risk. By voting to Approve Referendum 71, you will vote to ensure that all seniors are provided the same protections under the law.
Police officers and firefighters who risk their lives to protect our communities need domestic partnership laws if they are hurt or killed in the line of duty, so that their families are taken care of by their pension or workers’ compensation. By voting to Approve Referendum 71, you will vote to ensure that all of our communities’ first responders’ families are provided the same protections under the law.
Short version: If R-71 isn’t approved, unmarried couples and same-sex couples in Washington State will lose all their legal protections, as R-71 will negate existing state legislation that gives all of these tens of thousands of couples various rights. A vote against R-71 is an endorsement of hatred, bigotry, prejudice, and unchristian ideals of intolerance. Vote support.
§ Housing Levy: Support
This one is simple, and a no-brainer. Vote yes. By voting to support the new extension of the Housing Levy, we keep the annual funding from the city to maintain or expand affordable housing at their current levels, plus inflation. You’d have to hate poor people to oppose this.
§ King County Executive: Dow Constantine
Simple: if you want someone who is in alignment with traditional Seattle and King County values, you want Dow Constantine. If you want someone who’s gone on the record as supporting a woman’s right to choose, you want Dow Constantine. If you want someone that will work to protect existing mass transit, that our region relies on, you want Dow Constantine. If you want someone who is willing to move forward with the voter-approved and voter-endorsed plan to expand light rail over the planned, budgeted, and paid-for East Link corridor over the I-90 bridge, you want Dow Constantine. If you want someone who wasn’t previously affiliated with an extremist right-wing foundation that praises conservatism, and that advocated for the teaching of Christian creationism in public schools, you want Dow Constantine. If you want someone that hasn’t contributed to the election campaign of socially regressive politicians like Mike Huckabee… do you see a trend? Dow Constantine.
§ Seattle City Attorney: Pete Holmes
This is easy.
Read this.
Then read this.
Then read this. And this. And this. And this.
Can you see where this is heading? Voting for Holmes is voting to endorse the existence of a viable nightlife and culture in Seattle. It also means voting for a City Attorney that will put the needs of his constituents and the people of Seattle first. Vote for Pete Holmes.
§ Seattle Mayor: Mike McGinn
McGinn gets my vote over Joe Mallahan for several simple, bullet pointed reasons.
- McGinn has more civics experience than Mallahan.
- McGinn’s campaign has been run by a volunteer, grassroots organization, unlike Mallahan’s paid staff.
- McGinn is always willing to speak directly to the media. Mallahan speaks through the campaign.
- McGinn’s views on the Alaskan Way Viaduct are generally inline with my own. It needs to come down yesterday, not six years from now.
- McGinn came from running a community non-profit. Mallahan came from the corporate world. Little thing, big difference.
- I agree with McGinn’s positions on transportation.
- I agree with McGinn’s positions on the city budget.
- I strongly agree with what he’s saying on land use in Seattle.
- I disagree in various ways with Mallahan’s positions, and don’t feel he’s clueful about what Seattle truly needs.
- As a final game breaker, McGinn has a nice beard.
§ Summary:
I-1033: NO
R-71: YES
Housing levy: YES
King County Exec: Constantine
City Attorney: Holmes
Mayor: McGinn
I went on a tour of the 
