The Ballot
November 2010 Ballot Measures
This Election Will Decide Who Calls The Shots
Ballot Initiative posters and flyers to print & post
11 x 17 color poster / 8.5 x 11 color flyer / 8.5 x 11 black & white flyer 
The choices Washington voters make on initiatives this November will determine whether we can provide health care for seniors and kids, among other important services Washingtonians value.
Big lobbyists and special interests—BP, Tesoro, the American Beverage Association and many more—are behind five initiatives this year. Only one–1098– is a true citizen initiative. These risky schemes would fatten their profits while costing our communities hundreds of millions each year—money that should go toward teachers, librarians, and police officers, and keeping college and health care affordable.
We can’t trust big, out of state, lobbyists and special interests to do what’s right for Washington. We need every Washington voter to vote and spread the word.
Community Health Network of Washington has taken official positions on three of the initiatives voter will see on the ballot:
NO on 1107: Say No to the National Soda Lobby. Support the Soda and Candy Tax.
Initiative 1107 would repeal the small, mostly temporary tax on non-essential items like candy, soda, bottled water and gum. The money raised – more than $100 million per year – goes to fund schools, health care, protections for vulnerable seniors and kids, and other important services.
Those services will have to be slashed even further if I-1107 passes. It’s worth a few cents more for a can of soda to fund the voter-approved Basic Health Plan or to keep thousands of additional health care workers and teachers from being laid off.
The American Beverage Association – the national lobbying arm of the big soda companies – has poured in 99.9% of the funding for I-1107, topping an astounding $14 million. As reported by the Seattle Times, the Seattle PI, the News Tribune and the Olympian, the American Beverage Association is setting a record for the most money ever spent in a Washington initiative race. They are running a highly deceptive campaign to line their own pockets. Don’t be fooled – there is no food tax in Washington. Soda pop and candy are not food.
Soda pop has no nutritional value, and is a major contributor to the epidemic of childhood obesity and diabetes – with taxpayers footing much of the bill. It makes sense for the highly profitable soda companies to pay back a small amount for the costs their products create. Vote No on 1107.
• Visit the No on 1107 to learn more or volunteer.
NO on 1053: No to California-Style Gridlock
Initiative 1053 is an irresponsible approach to governing that would give a small minority in the legislature the power to cause California-style partisan gridlock. It allows just 17 legislators to prevent the majority from taking action on a responsible, balanced approach to the budget.
Things are tough here, but Washington is still doing better than many other states. California has this two-thirds rule, and it has created a complete mess. If I-1053 had been in place in Washington this year, the recession would have hurt even more families. 70,000 adults would have been cut from the Basic Health Plan, 16,000 children from health care coverage, and thousands of teachers would have lost their jobs.
Big, out-of-state special interests like BP and Bank of America are funding this Tim Eyman initiative because they want to keep the special tax loopholes that benefit them at the expense of Washington taxpayers – in fact, BP is I-1053‘s biggest contributor. Vote no on special interest loopholes, no on California-style gridlock and No on Eyman’s 1053.
• Visit the No on 1053 to learn more or volunteer.
YES on 1098: Cut Taxes for the Middle Class and Small Business
Bill Gates, Senior, is leading the effort to reform our tax code with Initiative 1098 because he wants what is best for Washington. He knows we can’t educate our children or care for seniors unless the wealthy are asked to pay their fair share. He also knows middle class families are struggling, and that any solution must be fair and accountable to all voters. I-1098 will cut taxes for small business and middle class families while providing $2 billion in revenue dedicated to education and health care priorities.
Specifically, I-1098 will cut state property taxes by 20%, and eliminate the B&O tax for small businesses. The initiative balances these cuts with a strictly limited income tax on the wealthiest 1.2% of households. By law, I-1098 will not tax a penny under $400,000 a year for couples ($200,000 for individuals). I-1098 also includes strict accountability and transparency measures such as regular audits and prohibits any change to the tax rates or who pays them without a vote of the people.
The wealthy here can afford to pay a little bit more. Currently, Washington State ranks dead last – 50th out of the 50 states – in basic tax fairness, with the middle class paying four times the tax rate of the top one percent. Vote Yes on 1098 to cut your taxes and protect education and health care.
- Visit the Yes on 1098 to learn more, volunteer and/or calculate how much you or your small business will save.
For more information on all November 2010 Initiatives, click here for a Ballot Guide (Spanish version) or go to: www.protectwashington.org.
