TNT Editorial: Preserve Tax Transparency

In The News Tribune this morning a good editorial on Initiative 960, which the writers remind us involved more than just the supermajority provision. Democrats have already put taxpayers on notice that the supermajority vote for tax hikes will have to go.. It's an inconvenient impediment to raising taxes to bridge part of the shortfall. The editorial says that's arguable, but understandable.

The [budget] situation could justify a temporary suspension of I-960’s two-thirds vote requirement – if Democrats can prove that taxes are truly a last resort to save crucial social services and that pending reforms will put the state on a more sustainable path over the long term.

They haven’t yet made that case – which makes the growing drumbeat for I-960’s suspension suspect.

But, if they do scrap it, the editorial says it would make sense to hold on to the other provisions.

in addition to reaffirming limits on tax increases, also furthered the ability of average taxpayers to gauge and weigh in on the possible impacts. The initiative requires the Office of Financial Management to estimate the 10-year cost of proposed taxes and fees, and to alert the public as those proposals move through the Legislature.

... The least the Legislature can do is ensure that taxpayers have a clear view of what happens this session. They will need that information when they vote in November, whether there is a tax measure on the ballot or not.

True.