06/17/05 FB supports Int 912

Washington Ag June 17, 2005 The Washington Farm Bureau Board of Directors recently voted to support Initiative 912, which would rollback the 9.5 cent increase in the motor-vehicle fuel tax adopted by the legislature earlier this year. Farm Bureau is providing initiative petitions to volunteer leaders across the state and urging them to gather signatures. Supporters have until July 8th to submit just over 225-thousand signatures from registered voters to get the measure on the November general election ballot. The increase in the gas tax, which would be phased in over the next four years would be the largest in state history. Meanwhile, the Washington State Supreme Court has agreed to hear a lawsuit filed by the Washington Farm Bureau in which it is seeking to protect the people's right to file a referendum on legislative action that suspended Initiative 601. The Secretary of State had rejected the Farm Bureaus attempt to file a referendum over the legislature's action because lawmakers had attached an emergency clause to a law allowing a simple majority vote to increase taxes. The court is to hear arguments June 30th and Farm Bureau Spokesman Dean Boyer says they are hoping for a quick decision because 100-thousand signatures have to be gathered. Boyer: "Essentially we have until July 23rd to gather these signatures. So we hope the Supreme Court rules quickly. We hop they rule in our favor. I'm Bob Hoff.