Oregon Public Broadcasting

Do Washington State lawmakers need a two-thirds vote to raise taxes? Washington voters have passed two initiatives that say yes. But Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown thinks the requirement is unconstitutional.

Monday she filed a lawsuit with the State Supreme Court to overturn the super-majority rule. Olympia correspondent Austin Jenkins has details.

Senator Brown, a Spokane Democrat, says she respects the will of Washington voters. But not when voter initiatives violate the state constitution.

And that’s what Brown believes two measures on the books do -- including I-960 passed last year. Both require a super-majority vote of lawmakers to hike taxes.

Brown says that requires a constitutional amendment.

Lisa Brown: “I believe in the Constitution, that it should be hard to amend the Constitution and it should be done properly when we do it and that a statute no matter how good of an idea it is or where it comes from should not amend the Constitution.”

The test case over super-majority is a liquor surcharge that failed last week in the Washington State Senate.

It garnered more than 50 percent support, but less than the two-thirds requirement.

I-960 sponsor Tim Eyman says Brown’s lawsuit is disrespectful to voters.

Senator Brown is asking the Washington State Supreme Court for a quick ruling since the 2008 legislative session is almost over. The Court has not indicated how or when it will respond.