Washington CSE to Fight Locke’s Billion Dollar Tax Hike

In response to a plan unveiled today by Governor Gary Locke (D) that would increase taxes by $1 billion – through a 1 cent boost in the state’s sales tax, the Washington chapter of Citizens for a Sound Economy (CSE) announced their plan to fight the proposal on behalf of taxpayers in the name of fiscal discipline and economic growth.

Under the leadership of Jamie Daniels, Washington state director, CSE will engage in a campaign of good old fashioned grassroots education and mobilization to deliver the message that government must live within its means just as ordinary taxpayers do and not put the burden on the backs of hard-working Washington families.

This labor intensive, “shoe leather” strategy will be up against a high dollar effort being mounted by the state’s education lobby, The League of Education Voters, the proponents of the tax increase. While they will depend largely on paid media advertisements to advance their position, CSE will rely on a grassroots army of more than 13,000 anti-tax activists to help spread the fiscal responsibility message through town hall meetings, rallies, legislative office visits, and phone call, email, and letter writing “blitzes”.

Supporters of the tax increase will try to push their plan through the state legislature first, and then engage in a state-wide signature gathering effort to put the tax hike on the ballot as a last resort. Either way, CSE members and anti-tax allies will fight tooth and nail against the governor’s proposal using traditional grassroots methods.

CSE has used this strategy and seen it work against proposed tax hikes in Alabama, New Hampshire, Florida, and Oregon all within the last six months. The Washington tax hike seems to be the latest in a growing trend of tax increase schemes devised by proponents of big government to get taxpayers to fund their wasteful habits.

CSE National Board Member Clyde Ballard had this to say, “In my 20 years serving in the state legislature, I have never seen such an irresponsible and reckless proposal. It totally ignores the fact that we are still in economic distress and people are still losing jobs in this state. Governor Locke continues to fail to understand that you can’t spend your way to prosperity. If there was ever a time for citizens to send a strong message, it is now.”

CONTACT: Clyde Ballard 509-884-5239
Jamie Daniels 360.456.1634