This is the fourth entry in my election series. (Check endorsements of Referendum 52, Spokane County Commissioner Bonnie Mager, and opposition to Initiative 1107.) For every Another Green Monday leading up to November 2nd, I will write about what’s on your ballot. I’ll keep this one short since I'm saving stamina for the final blowout, a post on the polarizing Marr-Baumgartner race and campaigns in general.  But first, it’s on to Initiative 1098.

Let’s talk about tax, baby. 

I-1098 will establish an income tax on the wealthiest 1.2 percent of households and not tax anyone of income under $400,000 a year for couples or $200, 000 a year of individuals. It will also cut property tax by 20%, eliminate the business and occupation tax for small businesses-81 percent in Washington- and generate $2 billion a year dedicated to education and health care. Basically, level the playing field.

As you can see from the graphs, courtesy of Sightline, we have an inequity in our state, especially prevalent in Eastern Washington. The property tax hurts the poor mostly. Tired of Seattle stealing the election? All counties east of the Cascades account for 21 percent of households in Washington, however only 11 percent are our state’s high-earning households.

If you look at the numbers from the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, our state’s poorest families pay 4.2 percent of their income in property taxes, middle-income pay 2.9 percent and the wealthiest families pay 1.1 percent. A cut in property taxes would benefit the poor and it would also reduce property taxes for the middle and upper class. Don Barbieri's common-sense editorial in the Spokesman resonated with many folks: "When I look at our employees I see entry-level workers hoping for a future. But how can they get there? The lowest 20 percent of our work force pays 17 percent of their income in state and local taxes. The middle income associates pay over 10 percent while I pay little more than 2 percent of my income in state and local taxes. This recession shows that unless our employees and their children get a good education, their future is doubtful."

Initiative 1098 is trying to do a lot but for me, it’s about equity. This is on the ballot because the legislature has failed to address the tax burden. On November 2nd, you have a progressive way to help fund services we can’t live without in Washington.

"We're either going to be dependent on dirty oil from the Gulf or dirty oil from Canada." That was from Secretary Of State Hillary Clinton. Say it ain't so but it sounds like she's ready to approve the Keystone XL Tar Sand Pipeline, a massive pipeline that would deliver 900,000 barrels a day of toxic oil from Alberta, Canada to Houston, Texas. We don't have to import dirty oil from the dirtiest energy project on earth -  we don’t have to send billions overseas to oil-rich countries while domestic clean energy jobs are sacrified. Via the Sierra Club, contact Sec. Clinton HERE.

Seattle bans phonebooks. Even though the Yellow Pages Association is offering an opt-out website, Seattle just couldn't wait. From Treehugger:

The ban was passed by the Seattle City Council. The ordinance creates an opt-out system for city residents and requires directory publishers to pay the cost of recycling phone books in the city. Score one for the trees.

When was the last time you picked up a phone book rather than using something like Google or a Yellow Pages app? Maybe it's just me, but it's been a while. Phone books are good to use as booster seats for short folks, maybe, and for demonstrating strength by ripping one in half. But actually, they're pretty much a waste these days. Especially when you receive two competing phone books.

Amazing that 2 million phonebooks are distributed each year in Seattle. Full story HERE.

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