KPLU Local News
(2010-06-15)
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OLYMPIA, WA
(N3) -
Education and healthcare advocates in Washington want to keep a tax repeal measure off the fall ballot. That's why they're now launching a "decline to sign" campaign. So far it's word-of-mouth, but an ad campaign could be next. KPLU's Austin Jenkins reports.
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Washington Initiative 1107 would repeal the state's new taxes on candy, gum, soda pop, bottled water and certain processed foods. The American Beverage Association has already contributed more than $1 million to help get the measure on the November ballot. The deadline to collect 240,000 valid voter signatures is just three weeks away. Cassie Sauer is with the Washington State Hospital Association. She says her organization and others are sending out "decline to sign" emails to their members.
Cassie Sauer: "And if they see someone who's collecting signatures for the initiative to stand next to them for awhile and encourage other people also not to sign the initiative and to tell them this would cut funding for healthcare and schools."
Sauer says the Hospital Association, unions and other groups are considering whether to fund radio and TV ads. The new taxes would raise about $300 million over the next three years. Backers of the initiative won't say how much they're paying per signature to qualify the measure for the ballot. But they do say they're confident they'll succeed. I'm Austin Jenkins in Olympia.
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