Supreme Court Hear Arguments on I-1366 Appeal

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — The state Supreme Court heard oral arguments on an appeal of a ruling that struck down a tax-limiting initiative, with opponents of the measure saying it was an unconstitutional threat while proponents argued that it was well within the voters' power to enact.

The high court's hearing comes two months after a King County judge ruled Initiative 1366 was unconstitutional. He said it was a thinly disguised effort to propose a constitutional amendment — which can't be done by initiative in Washington. He also said it violated the rule that initiatives be limited to a single subject.

Voters last fall narrowly approved I-1366, which would cut the sales tax by 1 percentage point, beginning April 15, unless lawmakers allow a public vote on a constitutional amendment that would require a two-thirds supermajority in the Legislature for future tax increases.