Table of Contents:
Washington State Initiatives
I-2109 Capital Gains Tax Repeal
Recommend NO
Per Defend Washington, this initiative:
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- Repeals Washington’s capital gains excise tax, slashing childcare and education funding by over $2.2 billion over 5 years
- Shifts costs from multimillionaires and billionaires to families by giving a tax cut to the 4,000 wealthiest households in Washington.
- Does nothing to benefit retirement accounts, home sales, and small businesses that are already exempt from the tax
I-2117 Repeal of the Climate Commitment Act
Recommend NO
Per Defend Washington, this initiative:
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- Ends protections for air, water, forest, and farmlands by enabling polluters to discharge harmful substances without regulatory oversight
- Shifts costs from corporations to communities to prevent wildfires, protect fish habitat, and fund roads and bridges
- Is actively opposed by an unprecedented coalition of over 400 organizations, including Tribal Nations, unions, environmental groups, and businesses
I-2124 Take Away Long Term Care Benefits
Recommend NO
Per Defend Washington, this initiative:
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- Dismantles Washington’s long-term care insurance program, even though it is deceptively frames as an opt in/opt out
- Hurts women, who are 73% more likely than men to permanently leave their job due to caregiving demands
- Leaves us to the whims of private insurance companies that can raise rates without warning and deny those with pre-existing conditions
I-2066 Repeals smart planing laws regarding utilities
Recommend NO
Per Defend Washington, this initiative:
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- Repeals smart planning laws that allow utilities to plan for a mix of energy sources, driving up energy costs for everyone
- Is deceptive and poorly written, taking power away from local authorities to make energy use more efficient
- Makes it harder to transition to clean, cheaper energy as the cost of renewables continues to decline
In summary, all four of these state-wide initiatives use deceptive language to advance the agenda of big corporations and wealthy elites, all at the cost of middle- and low-income families and front-line workers.
Spokane County
Measure 1
recommend voters educate themselves and vote accordingly
PJALS recognizes the dual purpose of this measure to provide important programming and supportive services for youth in juvenile detention facilities and to also continue funding corrections officers in the Spokane County Jail. Holding that tension, we have decided to remain neutral in our position on the measure and instead provide education for folks to make an informed decision that is in alignment with their values.
This is a 10-year renewal of an existing 1/10 of a cent sales tax that generates about $15 million per year for the County budget. Funding is for continued operations and no new jail facilities.
Approval of this measure would continue funding for 100% of juvenile detention operations and some staff in the county jail. In the juvenile system, this measure provides essential funding for:
- 2 nurses who provide medical care which is sometimes the only care youth can access
- Electronic Monitor program so that youth are not in detention
- Clothing, Bedding, Hygiene, Food, and Incentives for youth in detention
- Classroom and Bathroom improvements
- Corrections Officers in Juvenile Detention
- Detention Administration
In conversation with Juvenile Justice staff and administration, PJALS staff learned key context we want to share with you:
There are significant racial disparities among the kids referred by law enforcement to juvenile justice. Those racial disparities improve but do not disappear in the decision-making and outcomes once the juvenile justice staff starts implementing their agency’s policies and making decisions.
For the first and second referrals that are misdemeanors or gross misdemeanors, kids go to Diversion (meaning NOT into Detention or Court). State law requires the first referral to go to diversion but the Spokane County juvenile justice system implements this policy for the first and second.
Staff of the juvenile system in Spokane County are 40% BIPOC. All staff get training in motivational interviewing, Safe & Affirming Care, and the Intercultural Development Index assessment, among other training.
Juvenile Justice has partnered with numerous community-based organizations particularly lived-experience organizations for programming for youth.
According to Commissioner Chris Jordan “it’s about helping detained youth make positive changes in their lives early on, so they don’t become justice-involved later on as adults. The goal with a significant piece of this project is about helping youth lead safe, stable, productive lives as adults.”
Spokane City
Prop 1
recommend voters educate themselves and vote accordingly
This proposed sales tax is expected to cost $1 for every $1,000 residents and visitors spend in the City, with several necessities like food, prescription drugs, and rent exempted. If approved, this sales tax would generate an estimated $6.5 million annually for the City of Spokane for no more than 10 years. Money generated would be placed in a dedicated Community Safety Fund to provide additional transparency and accountability. Here’s it would fund:
- Office of Police Ombuds: Increasing accountability of police through expanded staffing, training, and outreach capacity. This will mean capacity to manage increased complaints, contacts, and referrals as well as increased visibility and accessibility. The amount of money going to the OPO is the full amount the office requested. $464,290 for 2025-2026.
- Municipal Court: Sustaining proven therapeutic courts approach emphasizing non-jail solutions like electronic monitoring and case management. Until now, many non-jail solutions from Municipal Court have been funded with piecemeal money from one-time sources. This proposition will provide sustaining funding going into the future. These investments will reduce incarceration, time to disposition, failure to appear rates, re-arrest, and pre-trial incarceration rates. $2,045,160 for 2025-2026.
- Spokane Fire Department: Urgent station repair and enhancement and rig replacements, replacing outdated vehicles and equipment, and reinstating the Fire Academy. Funding for the Fire Department IS funding access to medical care for low-income people; the majority of their calls are for medical service not fires. And of course fire response continues to be more and more critical as climate disruption continues. $4,349,000 for 2025-2026.
- Spokane Police Department: Reviving the Neighborhood Resource Officer program and reconstituting a traffic safety enforcement unit. $4,349,000 for 2025-2026.