Sound Politics: Wind, Land & Death

November 07, 2006

Wind, Land & Death

In this thread I'll be tracking three statewide ballot initiatives. Overviews - with results as they accrue - below. UPDATE, 8:15 a.m., Weds. Nov, 8: Last night's numbers continue to hold the morning after, and it's part of a broader massacre of the right. The Secretary of State's elections site shows WA voters solidly reject repeal of the death (estate) tax; continue tonight to narrowly support mandated renewable energy minimums for big utilities; and heartily nix the conservative property rights measure. Morning-after numbers below.

OVERVIEW: I-937 would mandate that large public utilities in Washington increase their use of renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power to 15 percent of their total by 2020. Here are pro and con views; and the text.

I-937 results and analysis: Morning-after numbers are 52.6 % (579.7K votes) Yes; 47.3 % (522.1K votes) No.

OVERVIEW: I-933 is the property rights measure sponsored by the Washington Farm Bureau. It would require government to compensate property owners for the economic impact of many existing land use regulations, or waive said regs. Seattle Times backgrounder here; text here.

I-933 results, analysis: morning-after numbers are 57.7% (644.6K votes) No, 42.2% (471.2K votes) Yes.

OVERVIEW: I-920 would rescind Washington's estate tax, currently levied at rates of 10 to 19 percent on estates of deceased individuals valued at mor ethan $2 million and estates of deceased couples valued at more than $4 million. Anacortes American backgrounder here; text here.

I-920 results, analysis: morning-after numbers are 61% (678.5K votes) No, 38.9 % (432.6K votes) Yes.

WA Secretary of State election results for state ballot measures.

Posted by Matt Rosenberg at November 07, 2006 10:54 PM | Email This

Comments

1. Welcome to liberal land lalalalalalalalalalalalala

Posted by: dcat on November 7, 2006 08:51 PM

2. As predicted, Beverly Woods is going down in defeat. Good! She can become a damn Democrat, she sure as heck voted like one!

Bye bye Beverly!

Posted by: pbj on November 7, 2006 09:05 PM

3. Dcat

I can't see your site? what happended to your link?

Posted by: chris on November 7, 2006 09:06 PM

4. Oh it's there Chris!

Posted by: dcat on November 7, 2006 09:19 PM

5. I don't get it. People in WA don't want to re-enforce their constitutional Property Rights, and don't realize that Hydro-electric power IS a renewable resource.

Well I suppose I should start buying stock in the wind power companies who pumped gobs of dollars into I-937 and the retards in WA passed it.

Posted by: DJ on November 7, 2006 10:35 PM

6. No kidding DJ, It's obvious the 'tards' from Seattle haven't been over to see all those damn pin wheels poping up in eastern WA...

Posted by: EiEiO on November 7, 2006 10:57 PM

7. RE: 937

Yup, fascinating how we can't drill for oil in Alaska is its 'bad' for the environment. However, we'll gladly put up big honkin' windmills all over the place and litter hillsides with them.

Guess its ok because done in the name of "green" and it makes liberals feel better?

Poor environment - what else will be done because its "green"?

Posted by: Stephanie Sandlin on November 7, 2006 11:15 PM

8. WA--the California Wannabe.

Posted by: jimmie-howya-doin on November 8, 2006 02:46 AM

9. As a typical suburban moderate, I never got the whole I-933 issue. I-933 would have given up land use planning, and regulation, probably cost the state billion, and for what?

I told my conservative friend, that if he could give me ONE example..just ONE example, of how I-933 would help either one of us, I'd vote for it. We're both typical suburbanites. He was unable to come up with an answer.

So..how about you? Can anyone explain how exactly I-933 helps the typcal urban, or suburban voter?

Posted by: proteus on November 8, 2006 05:40 AM

10. Well, proteus, if that's you criteria for political decision making, I can understand your confusion. Is it perhaps not robust enough for the task?

Posted by: South County on November 8, 2006 07:48 AM

11. Of all the decisions above, I-937 getting approved is the most disappointing to me. So now, we will have to sell our excess hydropower to California so that we can pay for more expensive wind power. Fantastic.

I really wonder if most people who voted for that initiative really understood what they were voting for.

Posted by: Palouse on November 8, 2006 08:14 AM

12. Anyone? No? Guess not. Well, since nobody seems to explain why a typical urban/suburban voter should bother to vote FOR I-933, and there are plenty of reasons to vote against it, this measure will never pass.

Democracy in action...the needs of the many, outweigh the needs of the few.

Posted by: proteus on November 9, 2006 06:37 PM