Adele Ferguson - Ferguson makes her calls on seven measures

Absentee ballots should be in your hands by now, so I’ll take the liberty of telling you how I am going to vote on the ballot measures.

It is not my intent to persuade you to vote one way or the other, just keeping you informed. For starters, I’m voting for only three of the seven. See if you can guess which ones before you read this. That’s if you can name them, not the numbers but the subjects, without peeking. Go ahead.. It’s a good civics lesson for you.

Initiative 1098 — This is the most important measure on the ballot because it would establish a state income tax. It’s initially aimed at the better off, but it opens the door to expanding the tax to pick up all of us which, considering the inability of our lawmakers to say no to anyone whose vote they need, is inevitable.

If it passes, God forbid, sorry, I just can’t help it, I-1098 would create a 5 percent tax on annual income over $200,000 for individuals and $400,000 for couples, and a 9 percent tax on income over $500,000 for individuals and $1 million for couples.

The carrot on the stick is that it reduces the state property tax for everyone 20 percent and cuts business and occupation taxes.

The snake in the grass is that the Legislature can’t mess with any initiative for two years without a two-thirds vote but from then on can include all of us with a majority vote.

I’m with those who say if the Gates Sr.

and Jr.

think it’s so good because it brings in $2 billion a year for education and health, why don’t they just pick up the tab themselves? They’ll never miss it.

Initiative 1053 — This is Tim Eyman’s try at restoring the previously passed law that requires a two-thirds vote of the Legislature or the people to increase taxes that our greedy lawmakers sneaked around. Fee increases only call for a majority vote. I’m for it.

Initiative 1107 — This would repeal tax increases the 2010 Legislature put on candy, soda pop, gum, bottled water and certain processed foods to fill the big deficit it faced. I don’t quite understand the TV ad that says they made a mess of what’s eligible for higher taxes and what isn’t, but I am opposed to tax increases except in cases of catastrophe, war or invasion by aliens and believe they can find better sources than this. I’m a yes.

Initiatives 1100 and 1105 — These are intended to put the state out of the liquor business so you can buy your booze at the grocery store. Each does it in a different way, neither of which I understand completely. I just know it’s no great inconvenience to me to have to go to a state liquor store to buy booze, and if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. I’m no and no.

Initiative 1082 — This would let private insurers deal with workers compensation instead of the state’s Department of Labor and Industries having a monopoly. Since our DLI is run by the unions, I have to be for it. I have never understood why labor in the state of Washington treats business like the enemy instead of a co-partner in managing worker environment and benefits. When will they realize it was their greed that drove business to outsource overseas?

Referendum 52 — This would authorize the state to exceed the debt limit in the state constitution to issue $505 million in bonds to pay for energy retrofits at public schools and colleges. Energy retrofits means redoing anything in those buildings that would make them more energy efficient, whether it has to do with heating or cooling or bigger and better windows. Does that make any sense to you? I guess it means the global warning loonies can give solar panels and the like a try. I think it’s nuts. The real benefit would probably be to Al Gore’s fanatics who would make money up the gazoo. I’m a no.

(Adele Ferguson can be reached at P.O. Box 69, Hansville, Wa., 98340.)