Questions about I-1033?

Posted on September 30, 2009 by Steve DiJulio

The Washington Secretary of State has characterized the aim of Initiative 1033 as a cap on the annual growth of state, county and city general funds at the rate of inflation plus population growth. Revenue above the cap would be used to reduce property taxes. Foster Pepper’s municipal lawyers present the following links to a series of reports and analyses regarding I-1033. Additionally, there are links to the Secretary of State as well as to other sites providing information on I-1033.

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Have a Public Records Legal Question?

Posted on September 28, 2009 by Rosa Fruehling-Watson

As you may know, Ramsey Ramerman, an attorney in Foster Pepper's Public Records/Open Government practice, recently left the firm to take an in-house legal position with the City of Everett. We wish him all the best and look forward to our continued relationship with the City related to its legal needs.
 
We wanted to make sure you knew who to contact at Foster Pepper for any public records issues that may arise. Foster Pepper continues to provide a full-service team to meet your needs (check out our capabilities) and as a point of contact you can call Rosa Fruehling-Watson at 206-447-7907 or email her at fruer@foster.com for assistance.

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First Amendment Rights Trump Public Disclosure of R-71 Documents

Posted on September 25, 2009 by Rosa Fruehling-Watson

Referendum Measure No. 71 (“R-71”) seeks to repeal Chapter 521, Washington Laws of 2009 (Expanding the rights and responsibilities of Washington State registered domestic partners).

On September 10, 2009, the U.S. District Court of the Western District of Washington granted a preliminary injunction barring the Secretary of State of Washington from any public release of documents showing the names and contact information of people who signed petitions in support of R-71. In reaching its conclusion, the Court held that the “weight of authority” leads to a finding that an individual who supports the referral of a referendum is engaged in protected political speech under the First Amendment, which includes the right to speak anonymously. Accordingly, the Court found that the Plaintiffs were likely to succeed on their claim that the Washington Public Records Act was unconstitutional as applied to the public disclosure of referendum petitions.

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