Not to mention an amendment to reduce class sizes and voluntary statewide pre-K, for which the elected governor is voraciously against. This should be interesting.

Honestly, was half this stuff really necessary to be written into the state's constitution??

I was also watching Nevada's Question 9, as well as Arizona's Proposition 203 and Ohio's Issue 1. None of which passed. Let's fill them there prisons! *sigh*

All in all, a disappointing election

While strongly an Independant, I was very happy to see that the Republicans gained control of the senate. This allows them to either sink or swim on thier own merits. If they can't make it work, it really is thier own fault, and no one elses.

They got what they want. A total republican goverment. Lets see what happens when they roll with it. Remember though that the Dems still have filibuster control of the senate, so who knows.

Whoopeee(flatly).........

What makes me laugh is when the backers of such a badly-conceived measure lose, they always blame it on being outspent by their opponents. They refuse to accept that their measure might have lost on its merits. Voters are stupid, aren't they?

Just to make this semi-relevant to film & movie theaters, Oregon voted to increase the minimum wage from $6.50 to $6.90 in 2003, with annual increases after that tied to inflation. So a lot of theater employees here will probably be getting raises. Wonder if ticket & concessions prices will also rise.

Oh yeah, the other big loser was a measure to require labeling of all genetically-modified foods. It also went down in flames. My theory is that most of us regularly eat at fast-food restaurants, which proves we really don't want to know what we're eating.

In Mass., we had three ballot questions. The first one (which, amazingly, almost passed) proposed to eliminate the state income tax. The second one (which did pass) requires English-language education for all students. The third one (which passed but was non-binding) sought to invalidate a recently passed law which provided for taxpayer-funded elections.

1. The voters have soundly rejected a 9-cent gasoline tax increase, but friends and foes of the ballot measure say the issue isn't going away. Referendum 51 died by landslide proportions. 37% were for the tax increase, and 67% said "NO!" What gets me is it was literally squashed dispite a milti-million-dollar ad blitz and the backing of busines, labor, and most of the state's political establishment. They just don't seem to get it that we are tired of being taxed to death!

Our Good Governor said, We're very disappointed, but determined to press on."

Here's the corker:

2. In the second transportation-related ballot measure, voters gave approval to Initiative 776 drafted by the same gentleman who drafted I-676 several years ago which addressed a flat rate fee for car registration. What was funny is the governor encouraged us not to vote in favor of I-676. The governor also promised he would "fix" the high registration fees to a flat rate of $30.00 which he did. I-676 passed very handsomely anyway, but was declared illegal because it contained more than one subject. Much later, the governor's "fix" was repealed in some counties. So, along came another by the same gentleman who drafted I-676 and it was called I-776...

The news report from the local "Rag" says: "...voters gave (ad lib - this gentleman) a measure of vindication by approving Initiave 776, his first ballot measure since he admitted in February that he used about $200,000 in campaign donations to create a salary fund. He previously denied enriching himself through his campaigns. This year's installment, his fifth in four years, will roll back the cost of registering cars for $30.00 per year in King, Snohomish, Pierce and Douglas counties."

I-766 had 56% support and 44% opposed.

3. We did approve I-790, a proposal by firefighters and police for a greater say over their pensions. 53% yes, and 47% no.

4.. We said "Nuts to You" on Referendum 53, the Legislature's recent overhaul of unemployment insurance taxes. It was rejected by 60% to 40%.

5. We passed HJR 4220, a constitutional amendment to allow fire districts to ask local voters for a longer special operating and construction levies. It was passed by 68%.

OK, I blabbed enough. I think you will agree with my first sentence about "Washington State is like a zoo..." (Especially if you live in this state.) But all in all, it is a nice state, and we, the voters, are trying to give the Hot Air Technicians a message or two...and we are winning!

Next time around, get out and vote. Your vote does mean something!

I am not a bit ashamed that I voted "YES" for I-776, I-790, and HRJ 4220, and "NO" for R-51, and R-53. If someone does not like how I voted, that it is their problem, not mine.

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A liner from the Seattle PI says Referendum 51 results cut a $39,000,000 hole in the city budget. It says further that the city also lost $7,100,000 from the passage of I-776.

Something is wrong here....I always thought it was proper to have the money secured before a budget is passed. Instead it seems they pass a budget and scurry around trying to figure out where they are going to get the money. Nothing like counting the chickens before they are hatched...

If any those politicians thought the voters are going to say "sure" to an additional 9-cent per gallon of gasoline tax, they are nuts! We are about the highest in the nation now!

If they think the voters are going to say "sure, raise our vehicle registration fees and base it on 2% (or whatever it was) of the fair market value", they are equally nuts! Nothing like paying almost 100 bucks for license renewal on a 1991 Ford Taurus that is ready for the scrapyard.

I wonder if the politicians believe all civilians don't have enough sense to come in out of the rain. What do they take us for, anyway?

I am curious if other states pull bonehead snafu's like ours does quite often....

Jeeze....