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Op-ed signed by Pam Roach for The Seattle Times

WE'VE had more than 20 years of experience with ballot measures like Initiative 1366 that make it tougher for Olympia to raise your taxes.

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Op-ed signed by Dan Roach for The News Tribune

This year's Initiative 1366 should look familiar: Voters have had a 22-year track record of overwhelmingly approving initiatives that make it tougher for Olympia to raise their taxes.
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3 Whether you are a Republican, Democrat or independent voter, can't we all agree that it's better to spur state government to prioritize spending and reform government rather than just raise our taxes? Olympia has proved time and again that when it's easy to raise taxes, legislators will. And they've consistently shown us that without these tougher-to-raise-taxes policies, they'll impose higher taxes on regular taxpayers who are ill-equipped to fight back. 3 Regardless of your political leanings -- whether you are a Republican, Democrat or independent voter -- isn't it better when state government prioritizes spending and reforms government rather than just raising taxes? State lawmakers have proven time and again that if it's easy to raise taxes, they will. And they've shown us over and over again that without these tougher-to-raise-taxes policies, they'll impose higher taxes on regular taxpayers.
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5 Some of my legislative colleagues may talk about "closing corporate loopholes" and "forcing the rich to pay their fair share," but whenever taxes are increased, powerful lobbyists protect their clients and you and I get stuck with higher sales taxes, gas taxes, car-tab taxes, property taxes and utility taxes. 5 For me, it's easy to support I-1366: I served in the Legislature for nearly 10 years. I know how Olympia works: There is relentless pressure to raise taxes.
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7 I'm proud to support I-1366, and I ask you to vote for it. 7 In 2005 and 2010, two sessions without the two-thirds vote requirement, a simple majority raised taxes by the billions ($9 billion in higher taxes in 2005 and $6.7 billion in 2010). I didn't want that to happen at the county level.
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9 Five times the people have voted to make it tougher to raise taxes. And five times our state government overrode your votes. So this time, I-1366 sends state government a clear message: Let the people vote to permanently protect themselves from higher taxes with a constitutional amendment. Just like our previous voter-approved initiatives, this amendment would require either two-thirds legislative approval or voter approval for tax increases. 9 One of my proudest achievements as a Pierce County councilman was sponsoring a tougher-to-raise-taxes charter amendment that 67 percent of Pierce County voters approved in2012. Together, we permanently changed our county constitution so that tax increases by county government would forever require a two-thirds council vote.
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11 I know firsthand how Olympia works. There is a constant effort to raise taxes. I can say with confidence that the Legislature would work better if I-1366 passes. 11 I-1366 is all about giving that same permanent protection at the state level with a  2/3-for-taxes constitutional amendment. I firmly believe that all taxpayers will benefit if the entire state adopts the same permanent protection Pierce County already has.
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13 Passage of I-1366 would send a clear message that we need protection from Olympia's insatiable tax appetite. The initiative would knock a penny off the sales tax unless the Legislature refers the two-thirds-for-taxes constitutional amendment to the ballot for a public vote next year. 13 As a husband and father of five kids, I know how tough it is when the government continually takes more and more because that means less and less for you and your family to spend on your needs and priorities. As a small business owner, I've seen first-hand how tax increases can hurt our local economy and dampen job growth.
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15 In this economy, every cent matters. With my family, as I'm sure with yours, we've had to trim costs and make hard budget decisions. 15 Unfortunately, too many politicians don't get that. What happens in Olympia all the time is pro-tax legislators talk about raising taxes on "the rich=E2=80=9D but whenever taxes are actually increased, powerful lobbyists protect their clients and you and I get stuck with higher sales taxes, gas taxes, property taxes, car tab taxes and utility taxes.
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17 Unfortunately, we haven't seen the same unified effort by the Legislature. Instead of making changes needed to reduce our state's deficit, the Legislature has too often increased taxes. 17 Recognizing this political reality, five times the voters have approved initiatives requiring a two-thirds vote of the Legislature -- or majority vote of the people -- to raise taxes. In 2012, 1.9 million voters (64 percent) approved the two-thirds requirement, getting more votes than any initiative in state history.
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19 The ability of the government to take your hard-earned dollars should be treated differently from other types of legislation. The more the government takes, the less you and your family have to spend on your needs and priorities. 19 Voters clearly want tax increases to be an absolute last resort. Olympia won't listen to the people unless we pass Initiative 1366 in November.
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21 The only way to control runaway spending and the growth of state government is to make it tougher to raise taxes. 21 Recent history proves it. This year's Legislature, without the two-thirds requirement in effect, increased taxes a jaw-dropping $17.5 billion. Passing I-1366 sends a clear message: We need protection from Olympia's insatiable tax appetite.
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23 Pretty straightforward, isn't it? 23 I-1366 is rightly called the Taxpayer Protection Act; it's all about protecting taxpayers with a tougher-to-raise-taxes constitutional amendment. After five votes of the people, I believe the voters have earned the right to permanently protect themselves with this common sense policy.
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25 We know the two-thirds-vote requirement works. When a two-thirds requirement was in place, lawmakers balanced state budgets without raising taxes -- because they had to. So if voters pass I-1366, Olympia would again reform government, prioritize spending and re-evaluate existing programs -- instead of raising taxes. 25 History shows that initiative campaigns on taxes get a consistent reaction from Olympia: Lgislators interpret the voters' approval of a tax initiative as a mandate to be fiscally responsible and responsive to the people. And legislators see voters' rejection of a tax initiative as a green light to increase spending and raise your taxes even more.
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27 It's gratifying to see how much support I-1366 is attracting. Beside the 339,000 voters who signed petitions, I-1366 has been endorsed by numerous state and local citizen groups and organizations. As the votes in 2010 and 2012 show, almost two-thirds of voters support making it tougher to raise taxes. 27 What does this mean for I-1366? When voters pass I-1366, Olympia will be prodded to reform government, prioritize spending and re-evaluate existing programs. If voters reject I-1366, Olympia will resort to job-killing, family-budget-busting tax increases.
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29 Vote "yes" on Initiative 1366 and hold Olympia accountable for your tax dollars. 
29 Protect yourself from Olympia's insatiable tax appetite by voting to approve I-1366.
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