Initiative update: Voters will see liquor initiative, others to be checked soon

The Secretary of State’s Office is busy checking signatures on the six initiatives turned in at the beginning of the month. I-1100, which would privatize liquor sales, has already qualified for the ballot.

Now, signature-checkers have moved onto I-1082, which would allow private insurers to offer workers’ compensation coverage. Currently, that coverage is only offered by the state.  Backers of that initiative turned in 345,000 signatures, 3 percent of which will be manually checked to determine whether enough signatures are valid.

The Secretary of State’s office says the remainder of initiatives will be checked in this order:

I-1098, with 351,000 signatures, would create a high-earners income tax while lowering the state property tax and Business and Occupation tax.

I-1053, with 330,000 signatures turned in, would re-require the Legislature to pass tax increases with a two-thirds vote. (The Legislature suspended the previous two-thirds requirement in the 2010 session in order to raise taxes with a simple majority.)

I-1105, with 359,000 signatures, would also privatize liquor sales, but would require wholesalers to be involved (unlike I-1100).

I-1107, with 395,000 signatures, would repeal taxes added to candy, pop, bottled water and lower-end beer.

Read more here or go here for the full text of all initiatives.