Up now: Bill to make it easier to raise taxes

Tune into TVW — or refresh your browser here — now. The Senate has just started to consider the bill to make it easier to raise taxes. The bill amends and suspends Initiative 960.

Update 1: Sen. Hargrove introduced a striking amendment that would not amend Initiative 960 — it would only suspend it. At the end of the suspension, the full version of Initiative 960 would be reinstated.

Update 2: They’re now debating whether to limit floor speeches. They were limited earlier in the Senate’s floor session, but Sen. Mark Schoessler asked for that to be reconsidered. The motion failed, so speeches will be limited.

Update 3: Debate on a striking amendment.

Sen. Mike Carrell, on his amendment to limit the length of time 960 will be suspended to one year: “We, today, are considering repealing one of the most important inititiaves” passed by Washington voters. “And while you are the majority, I do not believe that this represents the will of the majority” of Washingtonians.

Sen. Hargrove: The amendment “limits the suspension … it is not a repeal of 960.” Hargrove said the combination of the amendments being considered would basically mean the Legislature couldn’t raise taxes this session.

There’s lots more on the debate after the jump.

Sen. Pam Roach: Changing 960 “sends a message back to the public that, in fact, we weren’t interested what the voters thought back in 2007. “

Sen. Val Stevens: Said “we are about to tell people … we know better than you … we are a monarchy.”

The amendment failed, 27 to 21.

Now, Sen. Jim Honeyford’s amendment. “I really don’t feel a sense of urgency yet,” he said, of the Legislature’s pace this session. “This underlying bill repeals the will of the taxpayers,” he said. “Suspending this will allow tax votes and reduction of tax incentives to encourage other industries.” He said he’s concerned about the emergency clause on the bill, so he’s supporting the amendment to remove it.

Sen. Jim Hargrove said that means the bill won’t be able to be used until 90 days after session, so he’s opposed.

Sen. Don Benton said “we can fix these problems, we can solve these issues — if we work together.” He said the emergency clause isn’t necessary — lawmakers should only raise taxes in an emergency, and it must not be an emergency if Democrats haven’t reached across the aisle to work with Republicans.

Sen. Cheryl Pflug: “The people already foresaw this and they made a provision for an emergency,” she said. That provision is the two-thirds vote requirement, she said, which would only require one vote from minority Republicans. “I think that what’s going on here is absolutely unconscionable.”

The amendment to take off the emergency clause failed 26-22.

Another amendment. This one, according to Sen. Don Benton, would call for a vote of the people on whether to “gut” 960. “Isn’t that a fair and reasonable request? … let the people who put this law on the books decide whether or not it should be suspended.”

Sen. Jim Hargrove: “Yes, this adds a referendum clause,” he said, which means lawmakers couldn’t use the “flexibility” until after the fall 2010 election.

Sen. Janea Holmquist said this won’t be the “first time or the last time” that the state sees an economic crisis. “I can’t think of another case where the Legislature took away the citizens’ Constitutional right to have a say,” she said.

The amendment failed.

Now, an amendment to change the title of the bill.

Sen. Joe Zarelli said his amendment simply fixes the title to match the striking amendment. Sen. Rodney Tom said it’s time to vote on the bill and stop debating amendments.

The amendment failed.

Let’s move to a new post.

Tags: 960, taxes