Now that the legislature has moved to eliminate the taxpayer protections we voted for with Initiative-960, the stage is set for massive tax hikes in Olympia.

In fact, in just the last 24 hours, house Dems have proposed over $1.5-billion in new taxes - including a one-percent hike in the state sales tax. That will push our sales tax to well over 10% - the highest rate in the nation.

The Evergreen Freedom Foundation reports that in addition to the sale tax hike, these additional tax bills have been introduced:

HB 2388 and HB 3120 would impose taxes on candy and bottled water, respectively.

A slew of bills—HB 2637, HB 2749 and HB 2773—would authorize counties to levy various taxes without voter approval.

HB 2855 would allow $20 car tab fees for transit operations for four years…without a vote of the people. Of course, they’re calling it a fee, but since most car owners tend to get around using…well, their cars as opposed to transit, it sounds a lot more like a tax than a fee. This bill was voted out of committee.

HB 3161, the Windfall Oil Profits bill, would impose on petroleum companies a tax of up to 30 percent based on the price of gas. Presumably this is because the evil oil companies make too much money, so what better way to nip that annoying profitability problem in the bud than by hiking taxes? What could go wrong?

HB 2435 would increase the midwife license fee by $25.

HB 2514 would create a crop adjuster category and authorizes fees comparable to that of a public adjuster. At first I thought a crop adjustor was a chiropractor for produce, but then I looked up what a crop adjuster is.

HB 2591 would increase water right application fees a whopping 500 to 1,000 percent!

HB 2688 would establish a $200 fee for endorsing grocery stores licensed to hold beer and wine tasting

What can you do about this? Join us Monday morning on the Capitol steps in Olympia for the Push Back, No Tax rally. Let's send a message that, as Christine Gregoire would say, NOW is NOT the time to be talking about raising taxes.