Initiatives
Ballot initiatives establish law in Washington State under the state constitution. This November, we are facing 7 measures on the ballot this year, a record number. Most will have severe impacts on funding for public services, and one will provide us with an opportunity to generate revenue dedicated to education and health care. The WSNA Board has reviewed each measure and established a position. In doing so, we hope that WSNA members take the time to understand the impact of these measures and VOTE in November.
Vote Yes on Initiative I098: An income tax on the top 3% of taxpayers in Washington to support health and education programs
This is the only initiative that would generate revenue dedicated to health care services. I-1098 establishes an income tax only on the top three percent of taxpayers — couples making more than $400,000 per year ($200,000 for individuals). The current heavy reliance on the sales tax is regressive, meaning that the lower your income is, the greater proportion of your income goes to taxes. I-1098 results in more fair taxation. The revenue generated also results in a lower business and occupation tax and lower property taxes—that benefits everyone. The WSNA has a long standing history of supporting fair and equitable sources of revenue like I-1098.
The initiative would not affect you until your $200,001th dollar as an individual, or $400,001th dollar as a couple. For amounts below that, you are subject to the same tax structure that currently exists.
Most importantly, this revenue is dedicated to vital health programs such as the Basic Health Program, public health, and long-term care services. Some of the revenue will also go to support K-12 education, extended learning opportunities, pre-kindergarten programs, and expanded access to higher education.
Vote No on Initiative 1053: Requires 67% approval vote of the legislature to raise taxes and create new taxes
This initiative, backed by major oil companies such as BP and written by Tim Eyman would require a two-thirds vote of the legislature either raise revenue sources or create new ones. Tim Eyman developed an earlier version of I-1053, Initiative 960 passed two years ago. No one understood the negative impacts of I-960 until now. If the Washington State did not suspend I-960 last year, new revenue sources to support Basic Health Plan, Maternity Support Services, and other health and human services programs would not have been realized, eliminating those programs all together. A two-thirds majority vote also creates an incentive to raise revenues through fees, such as health professions licensure fees. The legislature would not be able to suspend I-1053 until two years after its passage. The state is already facing a 3 billion dollar shortfall in revenue heading into 2011, and face cutting health and human services programs again.
Vote no on Initiative 1107: Repeals tax increases on candy, soda, and bottled water
The legislature established these revenue sources last year, providing more than $300 million to support important health and human services programs such as public health, maternity support services and the Basic Health Program. Increasing taxes on candy and soda also has the benefit of changing behavior, making it less likely to people to consume these foods that contribute to the growing obesity epidemic. This initiative is funded by the American Beverage Association, although the legislature included tax breaks for businesses that manufacture these foods to prevent job losses in the soda and candy industry.
Vote no on Initiative 1082: Privatizing Worker’s Compensation
Worker’s compensation is a no-fault insurance program that pays medical costs and partially reimburses the lost wages of workers who suffer job-related injuries or illnesses. WA’s system is currently state-run, providing coverage for more than 99% of the businesses in WA. Washington has the third lowest premiums per worker of any state. Washington was in the lowest 25% of states in terms of costs. Privatizing worker’s compensation runs the risk of escalating premiums to consumers and decreasing access to prompt and appropriate care for injured workers.
Vote no on Initiatives 1100 and 1105: Privatizing liquor sales in Washington
Currently, only the state of Washington can sell hard liquor through state run retail outlets. State run stores are an important part of liquor regulation. Washington has one of the highest compliance rates in keeping alcohol out of the hands of minors: a 94% no-sale-to-minors compliance rate compared to 76-84% in the private sector. State run stores bring in about $850 million in revenues. Some of these funds support local prevention programs, law enforcement, health care coverage, and health benefits for children and pregnant women.
Vote Yes on Referendum 52
Referendum 52 allows the state to sell bonds for to fund energy saving retrofits to schools across the state. More than 45% of school spaces in Washington were built or last remodeled prior to 1969. These buildings are old, unsafe, and potentially putting our students at risk. Under Referendum 52, asbestos, mold, lead, and other toxins will be removed and replaced with newer, energy saving systems and equipment. Schools will use less energy and save money and children will have healthier learning environments. In addition, this referendum would create 30,000 new construction jobs across the state.
Featured Candidates
Representative Dawn Morrell, RN
Representative Morrell was first elected to the Washington State House of Representatives in 2002. She has served as Vice Chair of the House Health Care Committee and is currently a leader in the Democratic Caucus as the House Majority Caucus Vice-Chair. A member of the Health Care Committee and a nurse, Representative Morrell fights passionately for patients and has become a leader on Health Care issues in Olympia.
Representative Dawn Morrell has been a critical care nurse for 20 years, and currently works at Good Samaritan Hospital in Puyallup. Previous to that, she worked as a childbirth educator for 15 years. Throughout her nursing career, she has been an active member of the state nurses association.
A longtime member of WSNA, she has served as a local unit leader, a member of the WSNA-PAC Board and was elected to the WSNA Legislative and Health Policy Council in 1999. Her testimony as a staff nurse was instrumental in the passage of the law to protect nurses from mandatory overtime in 2002.
As a staff nurse, Representative Morrell knows firsthand the issues important to nurses in the delivery of safe and quality patient care. She has been a champion on issues such as nurse staffing, safe patient handling, uninterrupted meal/rest breaks in Olympia. Without her passion, tenacity, and leadership, we would not have achieved many landmark legislation.
Representative Tami Green, RN
Representative Green showed her commitment, support and leadership in 2006 when her efforts were critical in the passage of the Safe Patient Handling Legislation, the best law on safe lifting in the nation. She certainly carried a lot of weight and did some very heavy lifting on this bill.
Representative Green brings with her to the Legislature more than 20 years of direct care nursing experience. Since living in Washington she has worked at Western State Hospital and Child Study and Treatment Center, caring for Washington’s most severely mentally ill adults and children. She is currently a staff nurse at St. Joseph Hospital in Tacoma and member of WSNA.
Representative Green serves on both the Health Care and Wellness Committee and Commerce and Labor. She is a key supporter of our uninterrupted rest and meal breaks legislation this year and has been an outspoken leader on previous issues like mandatory overtime.
Raised in an active-duty military family, Representative Green understands the importance of commitment, community and service. She brings her extensive experience as a mother, grandmother, nurse, and community activist to the State Legislature to address such vital issues as health care, public schools, and family wage jobs.
