Hoquiam City Council Votes to NOT Support I-1033

HOQUIAM, Wash. - The City of Hoquiam adopted a resolution to NOT support Initiative 1033 last night. After holding a public hearing on the matter.

Comments included Dave Forbes disagreeing with the city holding a position, and David Everett president of the local firefighters 315 said "this has the potential to take 5.9 billion dollars out of local and county governemnts by the year 2015, there is no other alternative revenue stream even suggested to replace these monies"

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Everett told the council that the firefighter's union has voted to not support the initiative as well. Everett stated his personal opinion "this is a rigid one size fits all formula that imposes the same standard on every city and county in the state of Washington, regardless of size, infrasttructure, tax base, what have you... it's a poorly written initiative."

The initiative seeks to limit growth in state, county and city revenues deposited into expense funds, based on annual growth in inflation and population. State officials report that I-1033 is expected to reduce general fund revenues by approximately 5.9 billion by the year 2015. Revenues that support public safety, and infrastructure would also be reduced by an estimated 694 million for counties, and 2.1 billion for cities in that time.

Supporters of the initiative say it will decrease property taxes, control levies, and limit valuation increases.