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Washington Amendment to the Tax Code Initiative (2018)
| Washington Amendment to the Tax Code Initiative | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Election date November 6, 2018 | |
| Topic Taxes | |
| Status Not on the ballot | |
| Type State statute | Origin Citizens |
The Washington Amendment to the Tax Code Initiative (#1636) was not on the ballot in Washington as an Initiative to the People, a type of initiated state statute, on November 6, 2018.
This measure would have required the state Legislature to take action to balance the state's tax code by the end of the 2020 regular legislative session so that "households earning six hundred thousand dollars or more annually pay at least the same percentage of their income in state taxes as middle and low-income households in Washington state."[1] [2]
Text of measure
Ballot title
The ballot title for this initiative is below:[2]
| “ |
Initiative Measure No. 1636 concerns taxation. This measure would require the legislature to take action to require households earning over $600,000 annually to pay at least the same percentage of income in state taxes as middle and low-income households. Should this measure be enacted into law? Yes [ ] No [ ] [3] |
” |
Ballot summary
The ballot summary for this initiative is below:[2]
| “ |
This measure would require the legislature to take action by the end of the 2020 legislative session to balance the tax code so that households earning over $600,000 annually would pay at least the same percentage of income in state taxes as middle and low-income households pay. It would define “middle and low-income households.” It would require the department of revenue to analyze how state taxes affect households and provide regular reports to the legislature. [3] |
” |
Full text
The full text of the initiative is available here.
Sponsors
People for a Balanced Tax Code led the campaign in support of this initiative.[4][5]
Path to the ballot
The state process
In Washington, the number of signatures required to qualify a directly initiated state statute—called an Initiative to the People in Washington—for the ballot is equal to 8 percent of the votes cast for the office of governor at the last regular gubernatorial election. Initial filings for direct initiatives cannot be made more than 10 months before the general election at which their proposal would be presented to voters. Signatures must be submitted at least four months prior to the general election.
The requirements to get an Initiative to the People certified for the 2018 ballot:
- Signatures: 259,622 valid signatures were required.
- Deadline: The deadline to submit signatures was July 6, 2018.
The secretary of state verifies the signatures using a random sample method. If the sample indicates that the measure has sufficient signatures, the measure is certified for the ballot. However, if the sample indicates that the measure has insufficient signatures, every signature is checked. Under Washington law, a random sample result may not invalidate a petition.
Details about this initiative
- Ruth Lipscomb submitted this initiative on April 9, 2018.[2]
- The initiative was withdrawn as of May 14, 2018. Proponents of the initiative said they would launch a public discussion and education campaign regarding the matter.[6]
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Washington secretary of state, "Initiative #1636 Text," accessed April 23, 2018
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Washington secretary of state, "Proposed Initiatives to the People - 2018," accessed April 23, 2018
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Public Disclosure Commission, "PEOPLE FOR A BALANCED TAX CODE, 2018," accessed April 28, 2018
- ↑ Seattle Times, "Potential initiative would require Legislature to 'balance' tax code, make wealthy pay equal share," accessed April 28, 2018
- ↑ Seattle Times, "Coalition abandons initiative requiring Legislature to ‘balance’ Washington’s tax code," accessed May 14, 2018
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State of Washington Olympia (capital) |
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