RSSCouncil right to limit endorsements to ballot-certified issues
Yakima Herald-Republic
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Clearly we have nothing against the endorsements of candidates and ballot issues. We do both every election season. But there's a time and place for such efforts, and in the case of ballot issues, that time is when a measure actually qualifies for a vote of the people.
The Yakima City Council has approved a new policy that states that while the panel may ultimately endorse -- or oppose -- a measure as being good for the community, such action won't be considered until that proposal makes the ballot.
That's sound public policy and proper time management, especially with initiatives to the people, because the vast majority of them are filed but never make the ballot. To do so requires a sworn affidavit that the sponsor is a legal voter in this state, a $5 filing fee and the gathering of 224,880 -- almost a quarter of a million -- valid voters' signatures by July 4.
The endorsement flap started earlier this year when the council was criticized by Yakima School District Superintendent Ben Soria for not endorsing a district operations levy. At that time, some on the panel wondered: If they were to get into such local endorsements, would they also be expected to branch out into others, such as statewide initiatives?
Well, now they have. But the new policy at least clearly focuses on "ballot issues."
The endorsement debate intensified when professional initiative consultant Tim Eyman appealed to both the city and county to endorse his Initiative 985, which has not yet made the ballot. The measure aims to deal with traffic congestion around the state.
Members of the city committee that screens endorsement requests referred to the "ballot issue" stipulation and rightly declined his offer, noting it could be considered if and when his proposal makes the ballot.
Meanwhile, County Commissioner Mike Leita e-mailed Eyman, saying that it's against commission policy to endorse or oppose initiatives. But Leita encouraged Eyman to make a presentation anyway, adding, "I personally applaud your efforts."
If any of the commissioners want to informally chat with the former West Valley resident and hear his latest pitch for publicity and support during the signature-gathering phase, that's fine. But neither the city nor the county should be taking positions on proposals that aren't yet before the public.
A check of the Secretary of State's elections Web site shows that officials could theoretically spend a lot of time on much ado about nothing.
In 2006, for example, 40 initiative proposals were filed and assigned numbers, including 17 from Eyman -- though several of his were withdrawn or no signatures were submitted. His Initiative 917, dealing with $30 license tab fees, did not get enough valid signatures to make the November statewide ballot.
However, three initiatives sponsored by others did make the ballot that year -- I-920, to repeal the state estate tax (defeated); I-933, a property rights measure (defeated); and I-937, mandating renewable energy goals (approved).
In November 2007, Eyman made the ballot with I-960, which requires two-thirds legislative approval or voter approval for tax increases. It was approved by voters and was the only initiative on the ballot, although 31 were filed and most weren't circulated for signatures.
What all that shows is that the initiative process that leads to ballot issues is much more than the efforts of one professional consultant who -- surprise -- likes publicity for his measures during the signature-gathering phase. Others qualify for the ballot, too, and are justifiable in seeking council stands on their proposals once they do qualify.
It's a limited market.
From 1914 through 2006, the Secretary of State's records show 952 initiatives to the people have been filed and 128 have been certified for the ballot. Of those, 64 were approved and 64 defeated.
Limiting potential council action to bona fide ballot issues is a great weeding-out tool. Dialogue can produce helpful information for the voting public, one of the reasons we do endorsements.
But for a public policy body, it has to be tempered with a plan that is in the best interests of the public, not the promoters. We applaud the city and county for keeping their collective perspectives in that regard.
* Members of the Yakima Herald-Republic editorial board are Michael Shepard, Sarah Jenkins and Bill Lee.
