OLYMPIA, Wash. – The Washington Supreme Court is expected to rule any week now on the constitutionality of supermajority votes for tax hikes. Meanwhile, Tuesday the budget committee in the Washington Senate took testimony on a proposal to enshrine that two-thirds threshold in the state constitution.
Proponents view it as a permanent taxpayer protection. But human services lobbyist Lonnie Johns-Brown told the Republican-led panel a constitutional amendment is unnecessary.
“Why would you enshrine such a policy in the constitution when you have every power now to carry it forward when you have the majority, and not bind your hands permanently?” she asked.
In the past, Democratic majorities in the Washington legislature have suspended the two-thirds threshold in order to pass tax hikes with a simple majority vote. Washington voters have repeatedly said it should take a supermajority vote of the legislature to raise taxes – most recently last November.
