Opponents of Tim Eyman's I-1033 measure, which would have capped the growth of state and local government revenue, have just declared the measure dead.
Here's the statement from the No on 1033 campaign:
“Voters have seen the impacts of the recession in their classrooms, communities and businesses, and understood that Eyman’s initiative would have made things worse,” said Doug Shadel, president of AARP Washington. “I believe that’s why we saw tonight’s rejection of Initiative 1033.”
The No on 1033 campaign coalition was made up of more than 270 labor unions, businesses, environmental groups, education advocates, chambers of commerce, health care organizations and others who all agreed that I-1033 would have gone too far and cut too deep.
“Hospitals, health care workers, community clinics, and nurses just couldn’t afford Initiative 1033. But the people who would have been hurt worst by this initiative are our patients. The work to defeat this initiative was for them,” said Cassie Sauer, vice president of the Washington State Hospital Association.
With the full support of this coalition, the No on 1033 campaign ran an aggressive statewide operation to educate voters about the impact I-1033 would have in their communities. The campaign and coalition members called 295,341 voters in the final six weeks of the election, canvassed in dozens of cities, and advertised on television statewide.
“Tonight voters rejected I-1033 because it would have slashed funding for students and schools by millions, if not billions. Washington voters know we should be investing in public education, not cutting it,” said Mary Lindquist, Washington Education Association president.
This effort led to the precipitous drop in support for the initiative that led to tonight’s victory in a just over one month: just four weeks ago, a KING5/Survey USA poll and Rasmussen poll by Eyman’s campaign showed Initiative 1033 with a double-digit lead.
Here are the full results in an evening that bodes well for progressives. I-1033, which would limit the government revenue growth, is trailing. R-71, upholding domestic partnership rights for gays, has a slight lead. Dow Constantine has apparently won the King County Executive's race.
King County Executive:
Susan Hutchison 104622 42.76%
Dow Constantine 139501 57.01%
Write-in 561 0.23%
Seattlepi.com reports that Constantine is claiming victory in a high-stakes race, in which unions, women's organizations and progressive groups fought a former television anchor who claimed to be non-partisasn, but was thought to be conservative.
The local politics site, Publicola, reports that Hutchison "gave a speech (at the Bellevue Hyatt) that seemed mildly concessionary."
Statewide initiatives:
Initiative 1033, Tim Eyman's initiative, which would cap revenue, is losing 55 to 45 percent.
R-71, the measure upholding domestic partnership rights for gays, is ahead 51.13 to 48.87 percent.
Seattle races:
Ballots Cast/Registered Voters: 89132 / 375164 23.76%
City Attorney
Pete Holmes 46120 61.56%
Tom Carr 28648 38.24%
Write-in 153 0.20%
According to seattlepi.com and Publicola , Carr has conceded.
Council Position No. 2
Richard Conlin 56540 75.40%
David Ginsberg 18232 24.31%
Write-in 214 0.29%
Council Position No. 4
Sally Bagshaw 51952 68.58%
David Bloom 23611 31.17%
Write-in 186 0.25%
Council Position No. 6
Nick Licata 45062 57.73%
Jessie Israel 32808 42.03%
Write-in 187 0.24%
Council Position No. 8
Mike O'Brien 44040 57.91%
Robert Rosencrantz 31835 41.86%
Write-in 180 0.24%
