Date:  Fri, 16 Mar 2007 09:33:21 -0800 
   From:  "Ross A. Smith" <rosssmith@charter.net> 

A word to  the Oregonian -- Here is a classic example of your newspaper's support for the public employees' union agenda to the detriment of individual citizens in the O's disdain for the hated initiative process. Note how what the Oregonian did to the initiative process in Oregon was so bad it was used by Washington citizens to keep it from happening in their state.

    (Thanks to) Oregon's version of the Public Disclosure Commission for their assistance.  Their website on Oregon's initiatives showed that these anti-initiative bills backfired BIG TIME.  Thanks to them, we quantified the impacts of these [Oregon] bills and showed that they TRIPLED the cost of getting initiatives on the ballot, cut by TWO-THIRDS the number of  nitiatives that qualified, and DOUBLED the invalidity rate of signatures.  Oregon served as a perfect model of what not to do.  We appreciate your help, Oregon PDC. 

Subject: Initiative process survives legislative jihad -- all anti-initiative bills are dead -- initiative process safe for another year
March 15, 2007
To:  Our thousands of supporters throughout the state (cc'd to the media, house & senate members, and Governor)
From:  Tim Eyman, Jack Fagan, Mike Fagan, co-sponsors of the Taxpayer
Protection Initiative of 2007, ph: 425-493-9127, email:
tim_eyman@comcast.net, http://www.TheTaxpayerProtectionInitiative.com 
(go to our website to do a secure donation by VISA/Mastercard or print out
the form below, fill it out, and return it with a check or money order or credit card information)

RE:  Initiative process survives legislative jihad -- all anti-initiative bills are 
dead -- initiative process safe for another year
     A ton of people and organizations deserve credit for beating back Olympia's most aggressive legislative assault against the initiative process in over 13 years (1993 was the last).  Attached is a list of the various anti-initiative bills that were introduced in the 2007 session. 
     Despite being GUARANTEED by the state Constitution, the initiative process was under siege since day one of this legislative session.  But the silly ones never made it out of committee, and of the 2 bills that did, both died 
yesterday at 5:00 pm. 

     Credit goes to:

*    Key Republican legislators -- Senators Pam Roach, Don Benton, and Dan Swecker and Representatives Bruce Chandler, Joel Kretz, and Mike Armstrong -- picked apart and exposed the flaws of these bills during 
hearings and proposed alternative bills (along with Senator Tim Sheldon) that guaranteed that valid voter signatures should always count.  They did a great,
great service for the initiative process this session. 

*    Senator Roach also went the extra mile by having the Senate Republican
Caucus' legal staff do a legal analysis/critique of the worst anti-initiative bills -- thanks to her, the legal and constitutional flaws were made public 
BEFORE key votes.

*    The Seattle Times editorial board, as well as the Olympian, Tacoma News Tribune, Walla Walla Union Bulletin, Everett Herald, and Yakima Herald-Republic, and columnists Joel Connelly, Richard Davis, Adele Ferguson, John Carlson, Pete Callaghan, Senator Tim Sheldon and others for their scathing criticisms of the Legislature for attacking the initiative process and for their exposure of the legal, constitutional, and practical problems with these bills. 

*    Top supporter Mike Dunmire for his heroic decision to donate $250,000 toward the Taxpayer Protection Initiative:    "I am offended by their
arrogance, their ignorance, their mistreatment of citizens, and their disrespect for the Constitution.  Their shameless actions have moved me to do 
something meaningful to fight back.  I cannot and will not ignore their assault on the citizens' initiative process without a constructive response."

*    Roy Ruffino and Edward Agazarm and the incredible cadre of signature gatherers who provided riveting, compelling, and informational testimony during hearings.  They and their team of heroic petitioners showed that they're just regular folks on the front lines providing voters with the opportunity to sign initiative petitions.  Without signature gatherers, there is no initiative process. 

*    Easily the most compelling testimony came from a 70-year-old woman at one of the hearings:  "I think you haven't thought this thing through, Mr. 
McDermott. ... I just don't think you're working for me."  Thank you Jaye 
Anderson for saying what needed to be said and highlighting how dangerous
it is for petitioners. 

*    Institute and Referendum Institute attorney Shawn Newman for his expertise and testimony against these bills and his behind-the-scenes efforts to educate us on the legal and constitutional flaws in these anti-initiative bills.

*    Michael Bindas and William Mauer of The Institute of Justice for their brilliant help and assistance.  Bindas' testimony was truly exceptional, highlighting the legal and constitutional protections guaranteed by our state Constitution and U.S. Constitution. 

*    Stefan Sharkansky of soundpolitics.com for his relentless reporting and critiquing of the worst anti-initiative bills.  He provided an important balance of seriousness and mockery to his postings and kept this assault on the media's radar screen.

*    The ACLU for their continued and principled stand in favor of the initiative process (they litigated against one of the 1993 anti-initiative bills) and their opposition to these déjà vu anti-initiative bills.

*    Jonathan Bechtle of the Evergreen Freedom Foundation brought forward compelling arguments at the hearings and was quoted extensively in Richard Davis' column that was widely published.

*    Doug Parris for his testimony against the anti-initiative bills and his experience with the One-Strike-Your-Out Initiative against child sex
offenders.  He highlighted that paid petitioners were carrying their initiative 
for free because so many voters were asking for it.  He was gaveled down because of his vigorous defense of the initiative process.

*    And speaking of being gaveled down, Ron Ewart's testimony against anti-initiative bills got cheers from the audience but a rebuke from the Committee Chairman. 

*    The 30 plus citizens who wrote letters against the anti-initiative bills that we got entered into the public record.

*    All of our supporters, 26000 on our database, who, for weeks have been distributing our "MESSAGE TO OLYMPIA" letters and educating the 
public on the extent of the violence the Legislature has shown to the initiative process this legislative session.

*    All of the paid petitioners who, in addition to gathering signatures for the Taxpayer Protection Initiative, have been distributing our "MESSAGE TO OLYMPIA" letters throughout the state and educating the public about the sponsors and co-sponsors of the anti-initiative bills. 

*    Talk show hosts David Boze and Dan Sytman of KTTH 770 AM for 
their relentless radio updates on the worst anti-initiative bills and their
dogmatic defense of the initiative process.

*    John Carlson for drawing 'first blood' in this debate by illustrating the lack of knowledge of the initiative process by an anti-initiative legislator.  After Carlson told Rep. Sherry Appleton that paid petitioner 
don't get paid for bad signatures, her response was:  "Well ... um ... oh ... what ... oh, I forgot ... what am I looking for ... uh ..." 

*    Don Whiting of the Washington state Grange provided exceptional institutional memory and expertise during hearings having previously worked in the Secretary of State's office.  His testimony was very compelling.

*    Dan Wood of the Washington state Farm Bureau was fantastic,
providing excellent testimony and experience to this important effort to beat 
back these anti-initiative bills.

*    Oregon's version of the Public Disclosure Commission for their assistance.  Their website on Oregon's initiatives showed that these anti-initiative bills backfired BIG TIME.  Thanks to them, we quantified the impacts of these bills and showed that they TRIPLED the cost of getting initiatives on the ballot, cut by TWO-THIRDS the number of initiatives that qualified, and DOUBLED the invalidity rate of signatures.  Oregon served as
a perfect model of what not to do.  We appreciate your help, Oregon PDC.

*    Washington's Public Disclosure Commission for providing irrefutable proof that the Secretary of State was providing inaccurate information to legislators and the Governor's office in hearings and in testimony. Thank you, PDC.

*    Senator Darlene Fairley for her admonition to Tim Eyman to use his "indoor voice."  Priceless.

     Were there others?  Of course.  Beating back such a broad-based attack on the initiative process means lots and lots of people talking with legislators, legislators talking with legislators, the Governor's office talking with legislators, etc.  We'll never know the extent of these discussions and what actually happened. 

     But one thing is certain:  the initiative process is supported by citizens across the political spectrum and they don't support the Legislature's efforts to undermine it or take it away.

     So the initiative process is safe for another year.  Now we can spend our time, attention, and resources toward the Taxpayer Protection Initiative I-960.  We have until July 6th to gather enough signatures to qualify for the ballot.  

     The Taxpayer Protection Initiative deals with state government only.

   For tax increases:

*    Requires either two-thirds legislative approval or voter approval for any tax increase;
*    Requires an advisory vote on any tax increase that the legislature blocks 
from a public vote (by use of an emergency clause, for example);

     For tax and fee increases:

*    Requires the state budget office to publish and distribute to the public 
and the news media information about bills increasing taxes and fees, 
including 10-year cost projections, information on public hearings, and
legislators' sponsorship & voting records.

     Please fill out the form below and send us a donation of $10, $25, $50, 
$100, $250, $500, $1,000 or more (there are no limits on the amount that 
can be given) to our offices in Spokane.  We also accept VISA AND 
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you can donate online by going to our website:
http://www.TheTaxpayerProtectionInitiative.com.  Either way, please send in your most generous donation RIGHT NOW.  Please help ensure the success of this year's Taxpayer Protection Initiative.

     FULL STEAM AHEAD!