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Washington Repeal Excise Taxes and Reduce Minimum Wage Initiative (2018)
| Washington Repeal Excise Taxes and Reduce Minimum Wage | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Election date November 6, 2018 | |
| Topic Minimum wage | |
| Status Not on the ballot | |
| Type State statute | Origin Citizens |
The Washington Repeal Excise Taxes and Reduce Minimum Wage Initiative (#1590, #1604) was not on the ballot in Washington as an Initiative to the People, a type of initiated state statute, on November 6, 2018.
This initiative would have, in effect, repealed the state's minimum wage because it would set the minimum wage according to state law to be $7.00 per hour—without counting tips—for 2019, 2020, and 2021. As of 2018, the federal minimum wage was $7.25 per hour. The initiative would have repealed the state's laws regarding minimum wage that govern the years following 2021.[1][2]
The initiative would have also repealed multiple provisions of state law establishing and governing state and local excise taxes.[1]
Text of measure
Ballot title
The ballot titles for the different versions of the initiative are below:[2]
| Initiative 1590 ballot title | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Initiative Measure No. 1590 concerns wages and taxes. This measure would set the state minimum wage at $7.00, excluding tips, for 2019-2021; repeal statutes imposing or authorizing excise taxes, including sales, business and occupation, gas, and others; and repeal tax-related statutes. Should this measure be enacted into law? | |||||
| Initiative 1604 ballot title | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Initiative Measure No. 1604 concerns wages and taxes. This measure would temporarily reduce the state minimum wage to $7.00 and repeal most state tax laws, including laws imposing taxes on sales, businesses, gas, and tobacco, and laws authorizing certain local taxes. Should this measure be enacted into law? | |||||
Ballot summary
The ballot summaries for the different versions of the initiative are below:[2]
| Initiative 1590 ballot summary | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
This measure would set the state minimum wage at $7.00, excluding tips, for 2019 to 2021; repeal statutes imposing or authorizing state and local excise taxes, including business and occupation taxes; sales and use taxes; the gas tax; taxes on financial institutions, utilities, waste collection, hazardous substances, petroleum and tobacco products, real estate sales, and other items; taxes for oil spill responses and enhanced-911 services; and statutes governing tax administration, incentives, and the state economy. | |||||
| Initiative 1604 ballot summary | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
This measure would reduce the state minimum wage to $7.00, excluding tips, for 2019-2021 and say employers must “pay to service its employees all tips and gratuities.” It would repeal Title 82 RCW, which would eliminate most state excise taxes, including but not limited to sales and use taxes, business and occupation taxes, and taxes on gas, tobacco, and other items. It would eliminate the Department of Revenue and local authority to impose certain taxes. | |||||
Full text
- The full text of version #1590 of this initiative is available here.
- The full test of version #1604 of this initiative is available here.
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
- Kyle Stokle submitted this initiative on January 12, 2018.[2]
- A ballot title and summary were issued for it on January 23, 2018.[2]
- Proponents of the initiative did not submit signatures to the secretary of state's office by the July 6, 2018, deadline and the measure was not put on the ballot.[3][2]
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Washington secretary of state, "Initiative 1590 Text," accessed January 24, 2018
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Washington secretary of state, "Proposed Initiatives to the People - 2018," accessed January 24, 2018
- ↑ Ballotpedia Staff Writer, Email communication with Lydia Plukchi of the Washington Secretary of State's office, July 9, 2018.
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State of Washington Olympia (capital) |
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