Washington State Initiative 1634 – Keep Groceries Affordable Act of 2018
by Sue Forde
How do you stop a tax before it begins? Well, we have a way to do that on our November ballot. Simply vote “YES” on Initiative 1634 – the “Keep Groceries Affordable” initiative!
Washington state government doesn’t currently collect taxes on food and beverages, but a loophole exists to allow local governments to do so.
And Seattle used that loophole to tax sweetened carbonated drinks. (Big surprise there!) That really was the engine to get this initiative off the ground!
What’s next? Meat, dairy, all your groceries? Yes, there has been talk about taxing these items.
And how long would it be before other local governments followed, as they look for more ways to cover the cost of an ever more expensive budget brought about in part because of State unfunded mandates.
The camel’s nose is under the tent, according to many small business, restaurants, and farmers, to name a just a few, who have signed on to I-1634.
I-1634 is a “pro-active” initiative, ensuring that our groceries -the food and beverages we consume every day – are protected from any new or increased local tax, fee or assessment.
With the rising cost of living, more taxes on necessities like food hurt the low- and fixed-income families the most.
So checking the “YES” box on this initiative is really a no-brainer! Vote Yes on Initiative 1634.
And while you’re at it, vote for Republicans who will work toward lowering taxes and reducing regulations all the way around!
Any questions?
