2016 Ballot Initiatives
Initiatives on the Ballot and the Clallam County Republican Party’s recommendations:
Initiative 1433 – Concerns Labor Standards – NO.
(State mandated minimum wage increase to $13.50.)
This would increase the state minimum wage to $13.50 by 2020. Read about this bad idea here: https://shiftwa.org/category/war-on-jobs/ As a person who runs a small business, I can tell you a minimum wage increase would close the door to many entry-level employees, and force some small businesses to reduce staff in order to keep their doors open. The effect, in my opinion, would be even more unemployment. (Also opposed by the Association of Washington Businesses).
If passed, the initiative will only lead to fewer jobs for those it pretends to help and cause higher prices for the poorer people who use the services of the businesses employing these low skilled workers.
Read the Washington Policy Citizen’s Guide on this issue – click here.
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Initiative 1464 – Concerns Campaign Finance Laws and Lobbyists – NO.
(Uses taxpayer money to finance campaigns you may not agree with.)
It would create a campaign-finance system allowing residents to direct state funds to qualifying candidates, repeal the non-resident sales-tax exemption, restrict employment of former public employees and lobbying, and revise campaign-finance laws. Read about this bad idea here: https://shiftwa.org/liberals-want-tax-dollars-campaigns/ (Also opposed by the Association of Washington Businesses).
Read the Washington Policy Citizen’s Guide on this issue – click here.
from former GOP Chair of Jefferson County, Gene Farr:
“There are many reasons to vote NO on I-1464.
“The first 7 pages of this 23 page initiative would impose tight constraints on lobbyists and government contractors, but none on government service employees and their unions. These are the Unions that are buying legislatures to have them provide overly generous wage and benefit packages for their union members.
“The next 16 pages define a bureaucratic swamp that uses taxpayer dollars to hire a contractor to administer this financing process and control the funding of political campaigns. There are two other fatal flaws in this portion of the Initiative.
“An “eligible Individual”, who can direct the use of taxpayer dollars, is defined at the beginning as being a person registered to vote in Washington State. Then 7 pages later, the “commission” is required to allow others, who are not allowed to register to vote in Washington State, to also direct the state taxpayer funds.
“Also this Citizen Financing of Elections system to direct funds to campaigns is designed to be web based. That means the system discriminates against elderly people who are not computer and electronic device savvy.”
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Initiative 1491 – Concerns Court-Issued Extreme Risk Protection Orders Temporarily Preventing Access to Firearms – NO.
(Makes it easy to confiscate guns and is poorly written.)
It would inappropriately allow non-professionals to institute procedures to restrict access to firearms.
It would authorize courts to issue extreme risk protection orders to remove an individual from access to firearms. Read about this bad idea here: https://www.nraila.org/articles/20160906/washington-vote-no-on-1491-ballot-initiative-will-selectively-target-gun-owners
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Initiative 1501 – Concerns Seniors and Vulnerable Individuals – NO
(Initiated by SEIU to keep workers in the dark about dues.)
This would increase criminal identity-theft penalties and expand civil liability for consumer fraud targeting seniors and vulnerable individuals. It would exempt certain information regarding vulnerable individuals and in-home caregivers from public disclosure. From Washington Policy Center:
“This fall, voters will decide on whether to pass Initiative 1501, a statewide measure that supporters say would increase penalties for identity theft and fraud targeting seniors and people with disabilities. On the surface the proposal seems to ban fraud activities that are already illegal.
“A closer look reveals the measure is about much more than fighting illegal theft and fraud. The measure is an attempt by organized labor to change the state’s public records law to strengthen a union’s monopoly access to the contact information of Washington’s in-home caregivers. The effect of Initiative 1501 would be to prevent any non-union group from informing care-givers of their right not to pay union dues or agency fees if they do not want to.
“This Citizens Guide summarizes the ballot proposal and describes how the policy changes it would require, under the guise of protecting society’s most vulnerable, would benefit organized labor and make it harder for in-home caregivers to learn about their right to not pay union dues or fees.
Read the Washington Policy Citizen’s Guide on this issue – click here.
Download the Citizens Guide to Initiative 1501”
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Initiative 732 – Concerns Taxes – NO
(Will impose a carbon tax.)
This would impose a carbon emission tax on certain fossil fuels and fossil-fuel-generated electricity. First and foremost, we are taxed enough already! Government needs to cover the constitutionally-mandated items, and reduce spending in unnecessary areas, just like American families have to do. Secondly, this would be the only state in the union to place such a tax for “carbon”, to supposedly help reduce “manmade” climate change /global warming – ridiculous on its face. See why a “carbon tax” is a bad idea: https://www.myheritage.org/news/4-reasons-why-a-carbon-tax-is-a-terrible-idea/
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Initiative 735 – Concerns a Proposed Amendment to the Federal Constitution – NO
(Amends US Constitution to eliminate corporate contributions (but not union contributions).)
This would urge a federal constitutional amendment that limits constitutional rights to people, not corporations. .It would deny corporations (but not Unions) the right to contribute to election campaigns. This in not in the public interest.
(Note: Advisory votes are just that – “advisory”. They probably won’t make a different to the legislators who passed the bills.)