WA GOP Budget Leader Fears New Taxes After Supreme Court Ruling [AUDIO]

Now that the Washington State Supreme Court has cleared a two-decade hurdle that often kept the legislature from enacting a number of tax packages, State leaders fear more increases.

Representative Gary Alexander (R) who chairs the House Republican Budget Committee, fears the ruling will open the floodgates to a host of new increases.  Alexander said Thursday  "hold onto your wallets!"

Despite legal challenges from Gov. Gregoire and others,  for the most part the five different Initiatives and Referendums (most recently I-1185) have kept legislators from passing even more tax packages because of the 2/3 majority vote requirement.   Despite some lapses from the legal challenges, the five voter-approved measures kept the 2/3 majority intact for the last 20 years.  When one initiative was passed, then challenged and/or overturned,  another one would be introduced.  It has been a back-and-forth battle.

While the State House is largely Democract controlled, Republicans control the State Senate, and have had some cross-over support from a handful of Democrats on certain issues.   Some GOP leaders now hope to find a way to implement the 2/3 vote requirement into the House Rules, meaning the requirement would still be present when voting on tax increase related legislation.

To hear Alexander's take on the Supreme court vote, click on the audio below.