Two years ago, Democrats in the Legislature had the lawmaking session of a generation.
“The 2021 session was the most consequential I’ve witnessed during my 48 years in and out of government service,” said Lt. Gov. Denny Heck at the time, a Democrat.
Republicans agreed, only through a different lens: “The most radical Legislature in the history of Washington state,” one senator dubbed it.
Democrats pushed through countless of their dream bills, ones that had been stymied for years. Charging for climate pollution, taxing the rich, cracking down on police — you name it, they did it. When it was over, pundits, this one included, were left to gape at how Democrats had checked off everything on their to-do list. The only question left was: Had they gone too far?
We’re about to find out.
The news is that a Republican petition movement has turned in signatures for three statewide initiatives so far, all aimed at overturning or blunting that Democratic dream session. Three more are likely to be turned in at the close of December.
If they all qualify for next fall’s ballot, they will represent a verdict of sorts on the legacy of outgoing Gov. Jay Inslee. On his way out the door, what did you think of his work, really?
It would be an unprecedented showdown in state politics. At a cost of $7 million to qualify the measures so far, Republicans would be essentially “calling the question” — asking for an up-or-down vote — on years of Democratic rule.
One bad day could wipe out decades of work.
The biggest deal is that Inslee’s crowning career goal will likely be up for a vote. That’s the state’s experimental “cap and invest” system to fight climate emissions. At a forum this past week in Tacoma, the Re-Wire Policy Conference, one state senator said if it goes down, it will have ripple effects well beyond our state.
“If this does get repealed, no other state for the rest of this decade will put a price on carbon,” said Sen. Mark Mullet, D-Issaquah, who voted for the Climate Commitment Act in that heady 2021 session and is now running for governor himself. “It will set back the climate change movement for probably 10 years in the United States. … I think people should be really nervous.”
The climate act has raised nearly $2 billion so far from carbon auctions, in which big industry essentially pays a price for its emissions. The money is then earmarked for projects to transition away from fossil fuels, such as an electric charging network. But it has also contributed to boosting Washington’s gas prices.
“That’s the one people are most upset about,” said Cary Condotta, a former GOP lawmaker from Wenatchee who has been working on the petition drive. “People are saying ‘screw this.’ Because it’s forcing them to do something, and pay for something, that they don’t want to do.”
The other five petitions would repeal the capital gains tax on the wealthy that goes to schools; ban income taxes; make the new long-term care tax optional; re-allow police car chases in most situations; and establish a “bill of rights” for school parents.
Inslee comes across as pretty relaxed about it all.
“I don’t know, I’ve been elected three times, maybe it was accidental each time, but I don’t believe that’s true. … People have time after time voted for the folks, since I’ve been in this office, who support these policies.
“The folks who want to repeal this, you know what they want? They want to have unlimited pollution,” Inslee charged. “So no, I don’t think we’re going back with the Donald Trump, MAGA divisiveness and hate-filled rejection of democracy. Our state is not going to go in that direction.”
That’s a preview of the campaign right there. One, defend the agenda, loudly and proudly. If you go down, go down swinging. Two, join the initiatives together and deride them as a six-pack of discredited Republicanism to protect polluting corporations and the rich. Finally, link it all to Trump.
Whatever happens, and assuming the initiatives qualify, next year’s election will not just be a five-alarm crisis call regarding Trump — although it will be that first and foremost. It looks now like there will also be a referendum on Inslee, on a huge part of the governor’s legacy. He has been struggling of late to find his Sunny Jay voice, bogged down by wrong promises he made that the climate policy would cost consumers just “pennies.” Now, instead of sailing into the sunset, he faces one big final fight.
It’s a bold, Hail Mary play by local Republicans. It will shape their party’s future and state politics for years to come — no matter which way it turns out.
Maybe it’s good we just had record low voter turnout. Resting up for what’s going to be the high-stakes election of a lifetime.
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