Anti-tax measure qualifies for the November ballot



OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — Initiative promoter Tim Eyman's latest attempt to limit the Legislature's ability to raise taxes has qualified for the November ballot.

The Secretary of State's Office said Wednesday that a signature check showed that supporters of Initiative 1366, who turned in more than 339,000 signatures, had enough valid signatures.

The measure would decrease the 6.5-cent state sales tax by a penny unless the Legislature puts a constitutional amendment before voters that would reinstate a two-thirds legislative majority to raise taxes.

Previous voter-approved initiatives required that supermajority vote, but the state Supreme Court struck that requirement down in 2013, saying it was unconstitutional.

Also Wednesday, the state Office of Financial Management released a fiscal-impact statement on I-1366, estimating that the measure would reduce revenue to the state budget by $8 billion through the middle of 2021, if its tax-cut element becomes law.