Unlike Attorney General Rob McKenna, I feel initiatives and laws that create a two-thirds super-majority in the state legislature to approve any tax increase are unconstitutional. WA I-1053, passed in 2010 with 64 percent of the vote, made it nearly impossible for our legislature to raise taxes. And when a Superior Court judge recently ruled it unconstitutional, McKenna wasted no time in announcing that he would appeal the decision to the Supreme Court. Unconstitutional or not, I believe laws like this hurt our state and people. A new report from the Washington Budget and Policy Center concludes that the law has had a crippling effect, including the loss of 18,000-plus public-sector jobs, including health care workers, child caregivers, teachers and parole officers; cuts to jobs at private-sector nonprofits; 66,000 residents losing health care; and elimination of basic food assistance for 14,000. A simple majority - 50 percent plus one - should be required, not two-thirds. Because the state constitution allows the Legislature to amend initiatives by a simple majority after two years, voter approval of I-1185 this November, would continue the havoc by giving a small handful of lawmakers de facto control of the state budget, compromising Washington's democratic institutions and republican form of government. Vote for a strong Washington. Vote no on I-1185.

Kevin Leja

Bellingham