Bellevue—In an ideal world where Legislative Democrats respect the democratic process, all six common-sense citizen initiatives to the Legislature, to fix what’s broken in Washington State, would receive public hearings, as mandated by the Washington State Constitution.

Instead, WA Democrat legislators, led by Senate Majority Leader Andy Billig, D-Spokane, and House Speaker Laurie Jinkins, D-Tacoma, are cherry-picking based on political expediency, violating their Constitutional duty in the process.

In a state with one-party rule, Democrat Legislators have forgotten they work for the people. Article 1, Section 1 reads: “All political power is inherent in the people, and governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed and are established to protect and maintain individual rights.”

Still, on Tuesday, Feb. 27, the House and Senate will hold joint public hearings on only three citizen initiatives when all six deserve hearings. They include I-2111 (state income tax), I-2113 (reasonable police pursuit), and I-2081 (parental rights).

Conversely, Democrat lawmakers have declined to hold public hearings initiatives, I-2117, a repeal of the egregious cap-and trade scheme, officially known as the Climate Commitment Act; I-2109, a repeal of the capital gains tax; and I-2124, an opt-out of Washington’s long-term care retirement program.

Legislative Democrats are rejecting Article 2, Section 1 of the Washington State Constitution. It reads: “The first power reserved by the people is the initiative.”

Without public hearings, these three initiatives will go directly to the November ballot.

In the meantime, Legislative Democrats are already fearmongering. “The three initiatives we are not taking action on would have a dire effect on the day to day lives of every single Washingtonian reads a joint statement from Billig and Jinkins. “These initiatives would dramatically decrease quality of life and devastate progress….”

 

Democrat State Senator Marko Liias went even deeper into false statements, claiming in a series of social media posts that repealing the state’s cap-and-trade tax scheme would take money away from road and bridge maintenance. He later had to clarify this demonstrably untrue assertion.

WAGOP Chairman Jim Walsh, the author of all six initiatives, refutes the false claims by partisan Democrats.

“This decision by the current legislative majorities in Olympia is disappointing but predictable,” says Chairman Walsh. “It’s calculated, cynical and a little bit cowardly. They’re dodging—what are, for them—difficult conversations about common-sense reform. And they’re counting on deep-pocket rent seekers and trust-fund Leftists to spend heavily on a campaign to convince the people of Washington to vote in November against their own best interests.

In all, Legislative Democrats stand to lose political power if all six initiatives to the Legislature pass.

A second rally to highlight all six common-sense citizen initiatives to the Legislature will take place on Friday, Feb. 23, at noon, on the steps of the Washington State Capitol in Olympia. All six initiatives deserve public hearings. Equally important, Washington voters deserve to be heard.
 

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