MYNORTHWEST NEWS

Court tosses latest Eyman initiative

May 26, 2016, 9:49 AM | Updated: 11:25 am

Tim Eyman...

I-976 sponsor Tim Eyman. (AP)

(AP)

Tim Eyman’s latest voter-approved initiative was tossed by the Washington State Supreme Court Thursday morning.

I-1366 is void in its entirety, according to Daily Herald reporter Jerry Cornfield.

The measure, approved by voters, called for a two-thirds majority in the Legislature to raise taxes. However, it was found that “It is impossible to determine how many people voted for this initiative because they desired adoption of the constitutional amendment at its heart and how many voted for it because they desired the short-term relief of the immediate reduction in sales tax.”

It was the second time I-1366 has gone before the court.

The initiative was criticized by Gov. Jay Inslee in the past.

“If we were all offered a bowl of ice cream for nothing, we would take it,” Inslee said, noting that he has noticed this sort of behavior with Democrats and Republicans. “If we could vote for something that would seem to give us an impression that we could have a bowl of ice cream at zero cost, we probably would take it. But then we would eventually have to figure out how to pay for it.”

Eyman played off the ice cream comment controversy by standing at Inslee’s office, and leaving a bowl of the dessert out for the governor.

“And we had a bowl of ice cream for the governor, and we had a spoon, and we had the whole bit, and we were highlighting the fact that voters voting six times is not a sign that voters are children,” Eyman said. “This is a sign that voters are sick and tired of having politicians like Jay Inslee say he’s going to veto taxes while running for office, but then become the greatest cheerleader for tax increases that our state has ever seen.”

Please follow our Community Guidelines

MyNorthwest News

Seattle Montana family killed...

Associated Press

Former Seattle man killed 8 relatives, including 4 kids, at Sunday dinner in Montana, family says

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — A former Seattle man killed eight of his relatives, including four children, as they gathered for Sunday dinner at a home outside Billings, Montana, weeks after his parents asked him to move out, a family member told The Associated Press.

1 hour ago

fire engine...

James Lynch

Washington business owner buys fire engine to defend community from wildfire threat

With wildfires raging across Washington, one business owner has taken wildfire defense into his own hands — by buying a used fire engine.

3 hours ago

mail-in voting (1)...

KIRO Newsradio staff

‘Don’t freak out’: WA Secretary of State expects new injunction ‘very soon’ after Supreme Court mail-in voting ruling

Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs expects a new injunction to be filed "very soon" after the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on mail-in voting.

4 hours ago

seattle police chief...

KIRO 7 News Staff

Seattle mayor launches national search for new police chief

Seattle mayor Katie Wilson has launched a national search for the next city police chief.

5 hours ago

Seneca overpass body...

Frank Lenzi

Person found dead along I-5 near Seneca in Seattle

The Washington State Patrol (WSP) is investigating after a person was found dead in a grassy area along I-5.

5 hours ago

everett fire median i-5...

Jason Sutich

All lanes back open after brush fire in I-5 median near Everett

A brush fire in the median of I-5 near Everett is blocking the HOV lane in both directions and the southbound left general-purpose lane.

6 hours ago

Court tosses latest Eyman initiative