Unconstitutional! The 2/3rd require to raise taxes was thrown out by the courts BUT…

 

 

The Washington State Supreme Court tossed the supermajority requirement voters imposed on their elected representatives before they could raise taxes. Apparently, it was too great an interference for the people, in whom the power of the state still presides, to put a guiding limit on the constitutional powers exercised by their representatives. It’s interesting that the Court finds this to be an overstep, but not their own declaration in the McCleary case in which the court declared the legislature has not made education a “paramount” duty. Now the court presumes to tell the legislature how much money needs to be spent on schools, but the people cannot advise the legislature that they want limits as to how much of their money they collect.

Politically, the decision is likely to help Republicans, who are already working on making the supermajority requirement permanent through other means. Even if that fails, the issue remains a hammer with which they can beat Democrats who don’t line up on the tax issues.

One also hopes that it will lead to trouble for 6 of the justices the next time they face voters at the ballot box.