Another initiative threat looming in 2006

As if we didn't have enough right wing mischief to combat in 2006 already, there's this:

Opponents of a revamped state estate tax plan have announced an initiative campaign to abolish it.

The new estate tax on the wealthy, which replaced the century-old tax that the state Supreme Court struck down earlier this year, was part of a tax package signed into law this year by Gov. Christine Gregoire.

Revenue from the tax hike is for an education legacy trust fund, created to boost higher education and to finance voter-approved Initiative 728 to reduce class sizes.

The estate tax applies to estates of $1.5 million and up until next year, when the threshold rises to $2 million.

[...]

Supporters of the estate tax say it's appropriate and fair and should be left in place, because the money is devoted to education, which helps make it possible for the next generation to create wealth.

"It benefits people. A good education system provides tremendous return on public investment," said Charles Hasse, president of the Washington Education Association. "Our state ultimately will be wealthier and have much larger estates at the end of their lives if we invest in schools."

We're now looking at a likely three pronged attack from the right wing next year: Eyman's assault on the rest of the transportation package, the Farm Bureau effort to destroy growth management, and this attempt to repeal an important revenue source for public education.

We will devote much of our energy and resources in 2006 to ensure that all these initiatives are defeated. Our first challenge will be to stop as many of them as possible from making the ballot.