Tuesday, January 24, 2012
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, Voters Want More Choices "No New Taxes 2012"
RE: Please help us so we can continue to protect the initiative process
Politicians hate the initiative process. Why? Because it challenges their policy-making monopoly. Because it lets the people decide. For 15 years, we've worked really hard to let the people decide important issues (lower car tab taxes, limits on property tax increases, performance audits of government, 2/3 vote requirements for tax increases, etc). But we've also made it one of our top priorities to defend the initiative process from political attack.
We are very, very pleased and proud to announce that we had a huge victory last Friday.
QUICK BACKGROUND: last year, in response to our initiative in Monroe on red-light cameras qualifying for the ballot, the Mayor and City Council refused to put it on the ballot and SUED US for sponsoring the initiative. A lawsuit against citizens for exercising their right to initiative? It was despicable. They asked the court to impose a $10,000 fine on us and tried to force us to pay THEIR attorneys fees. Under the threat of escalating legal costs against an adversary (the government) with unlimited financial resources to pay their taxpayer-funded lawyers, lots of folks would've folded their tent and gone home. We didn't -- we fought back.
After months of anguish and stress, we prevailed against their anti-initiative effort on Friday as Snohomish County Superior Court Judge George Bowden found that their action was a SLAPP lawsuit (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation) and imposed a $10,000 fine on the city (!!!) and green-lighted the initiative for a public vote.
As Judge Bowden wrote: "Having secured enough valid signatures to place (the initiative) on the ballot, the City's lawsuit burdens the initiative sponsors with having to defend the right of the voters to express their opinions and weigh in on a matter that will directly affect them."
We are thrilled with this court decision because it sends a clear message to other arrogant politicians that such obstructionist tactics will not only fail, but result in substantial financial penalties. IT IS A HUGE, HUGE VICTORY FOR INITIATIVE RIGHTS IN WASHINGTON.
Yesterday, I drove down to Olympia to testify against one of a series of anti-initiative bills that have become a yearly tradition in our state's Capitol. More on that later.
It is critical that we continue fighting for taxpayers in 2012. It promises to be a really crazy year -- we have to fight against 'bad bills' out of Olympia for the next 60 days and educate voters to reject tax hikes put on the ballot (the only reason they are asking voters' permission is because of our previous efforts). Please consider a monthly pledge.
With your help, there's no team, no group, no organization that is more effective than we are at protecting taxpayers.
We ask for your support so we can continue fighting for taxpayers in 2012.
If you like and appreciate our past, current, and future efforts on behalf of taxpayers, please send us a donation for $10, $25, $50, $100, $250, $500, $1,000, $2500, $5000 or more (there are no limits on how much can be given).
Please consider a monthly pledge. We ask you to please help us help taxpayers. Thank you.
