seattle
“Spite, codified.” That was what Seattle Times columnist Bruce Ramsey recently called six bills in the Washington state legislature that aim to restrict the initiative process. All the bills would severely hamper Washingtonians’ Â constitutionally guaranteed right to put state laws on the ballot through petitioning. Ramsey says all the bills are sponsored by bitter legislators who want to take a slap at perennial initiative sponsor Tim Eyman.
King County, which includes Seattle, may have to cut back on a few of its services after the county council refused to put a 1/10 of a cent tax increase on the ballot. Council members indicated that due to the struggling economy they could not ask the taxpayer to give up more of their money.