Letter: Bad legislation is reactionary

Thanks to The Columbian’s Dec. 29 editorial, “Court should not take sides: Bill that would require justices to declare party preference misguided, petty,” for labeling the legislation proposed in House Bill 1051 and co-sponsored by Rep. Paul Harris, R-Vancouver, Rep. Liz Pike, R-Camas, and Rep. Brandon Vick, R-Vancouver, as misguided and petty.

As The Columbian so ably implied, it’s in their interest to neutralize the state judge’s influence in holding the Legislature’s feet to the fire in living up to the state Constitution, Article 9, Section 1; Paramount Duty clause which requires the Legislature to fully fund all basic education.

Apparently, those sponsoring this legislation believe that making the Supreme Court Judges run as partisans would produce judges who would ignore their constitutional separation of power responsibilities by not having the Legislature held responsible for Article 9, Section 1.

Without the Court’s intervention, this Legislature could go home without any meaningful effort to raise revenue to the fund the paramount duty and the people’s initiative to lower class size.

This would leave school districts without any recourse other than to attempt to run higher special property tax levies for voters’ approval or load up class size.

Some Southwest Washington constituents elected the sponsors of HB 1051. If these sponsors’ intention is to avoid a vote on new revenue (taxes) and pass the buck to the voters in higher local property taxes, they need to hear from the voters who elected them. They will hear from me also.

Al Bauer

Vancouver