Spokane, Yakima, Vancouver, Burien: No 2109 Campaign Launch
Childcare Providers, Small Business Owners, Parents, Educators Across Washington Launch NO on I-2109 Campaign In Four Washington Cities
Opponents of I-2109 are holding events today in Burien, Yakima, Vancouver, and Spokane to inform voters of I-2109’s devastating cuts to childcare and impacts on local economies
Spokane, Yakima, Vancouver, Burien: Today childcare providers, small business owners, educators, and parent advocates across Washington officially launched the NO I-2109 campaign. Opponents of I-2109 held nearly simultaneous events in Burien, Yakima, Vancouver, and Spokane, showing the strength of this statewide organizing effort.
The Children’s Alliance, Save The Children Action Fund, Moms Rising, and many more parents, teachers and community leaders oppose I-2109 because it will cut more than $5 billion by 2029 from education, worsening Washington’s childcare and school funding crisis.
Childcare providers spoke about I-2109’s impacts:
“Initiative 2109 will take away billions of dollars in childcare funding. The families who enroll their children in our center rely on state funding. If Initiative 2109passes, as many as half of the families we work with may no longer be able to afford childcare.” - Diana Llanes - Owner & Operator of Once Upon a Time Bilingual Childcare Center in Burien
“Initiative 2109 would cut billions of dollars in childcare assistance. Every one of the parents whose kids I look after and educate relies on this assistance. These parents are healthcare workers, farmworkers, and warehouse workers. They do jobs that are essential for our community to thrive. If Initiative 2109 passes, these parents may not be unable to afford childcare and not be able to do these critical jobs. Kids will miss opportunities, parents will lose income, and our community will suffer.” - Nohemi Bautista, Owner & Operator of CasaLuna Daycare Center in Yakima
Parents shared their struggles in the midst of a childcare affordability crisis and how I-2109 would make things worse:
"The father of my oldest two children died in August of 2021 due to complications related to Covid-19. In order for me to be able to work, my children need childcare. For many Washington families, quality childcare feels like a luxury they cannot afford. This isn't just a burden on parents, it hinders our state's potential. By making childcare more affordable, we empower parents to join the workforce, boosting our economy." - Amanda Hammond, Save The Children Action Network Parent Advocate in Vancouver
“Two of my children attended preschool through the Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program. Not only did ECEAP help get my kids ready for kindergarten, it created a community for our family. Initiative 2109 threatens to take away billions of dollars in funding for early learning programs that the Fair Start for Kids Act provides.” - Daree Blake, MomsRising & Save the Children Action Network Parent Advocate in Spokane
Building & Construction Trades Representatives warned Initiative 2109 would harm working women:
"Childcare is critical for working parents, especially women, trying to lift themselves to the middle class through the building and construction trades. Initiative 2109 makes it even harder for working people to find the childcare necessary to get good paying stable jobs, while giving a huge tax break to ultra-millionaires and billionaires." - Minna Long of Vancouver, Journeyman Ironworker, Washington State Building & Construction Trades Council
“Our programs provide a critical pathway to the middle class and financial stability, especially for folks without a college degree. Historically, women have been shut out of these opportunities in our industry, and one of our key areas of focus has been to fix that. Unfortunately, Initiative 2109 would set our efforts back.” - Adam Grim, Deputy Executive Director of the Machinist Institute in Tukwila
Washington businesses lose over $2 billion each year due to employees' issues with childcare, and I-2109 will worsen this problem by cutting billions from affordable childcare. Plus if I-2109 passes, it will shift more of the tax pressure to small businesses and working families, impacting Washington’s economy. That’s why dozens of small businesses and workers’ unions are united in opposing I-2109.
“Initiative 2109 is also harmful to small businesses like mine. Many of our employees want to work more hours, gain more experience, and advance their careers, but are unable to do so because they can’t find affordable childcare during those extra shifts. Initiative 2109 would only make their situation even worse by taking away the already limited childcare options our workforce has.” - Damiana Merryweather, Owner of Bok a Bok Fried Chicken in White Center
Teachers warned of the cuts to education at a time when school districts are already facing revenue shortages:
“Special education teachers like me can tell you - none of us have what we truly need to meet the basic requirements of every one of our 170,000 students receiving special education. I-2109 would only exacerbate a funding crisis by taking billions from the Education Legacy Trust Account and giving it to fewer than 4,000 very wealthy people, most of whom live in King County.” - Amy Campbell, Teacher at Helen Baller Elementary School in the Camas School District, and the 2020 Washington State Teacher of the Year
“Like school districts across the state, our district is suffering from massive budget shortfalls. Last month, the school board voted to cut 72 certified positions, which resulted in the lay off of over 100 educators alone, not even including myriad other staff members who were also cut. Initiative 2109 will make things even worse by cutting $5 billion from education and childcare funding. This money will be taken from our children and families here in Yakima in order to pay for a tax cut for less than 4,000 extremely wealthy Washingtonians.” - Frances Guerrero, Language Arts Teacher at Eisenhower High School in Yakima
About I-2109
Washington voters will decide this fall whether or not to pass Initiative 2109, to cut over $5 billion in 6 years from education, childcare, and early learning to hand a tax cut to the wealthiest 0.2% Washingtonians.
Initiative 2109 would repeal the state’s capital gains excise tax on extraordinary profits. The latest data from the Department of Revenue shows that fewer than 4,000 Washingtonians paid the tax last year. It generated nearly $900 million with a 7% tax on nearly $13 billion in stock profits going to super-rich Washingtonians.
The money raised by the capital gains tax goes to funding education, childcare and early learning. Sales of real estate, retirement assets, small businesses, and farms are exempted. It applies only to annual profits above $262,000 a year from the sales of financial assets such as stocks and bonds.
Recent polling shows that voters resoundingly oppose Initiative 2109, with 62% opposed and only 32% in support. While it is clear that voters see through this cynical attempt to rob kids and families of vital education funding in order to pay for a tax cut for the rich, the NO on I-2109 campaign is not taking anything for granted. I-2109 sponsor and hedge fund mega-millionaire Brian Heywood could potentially put millions of his own money into misleading ads. This is why theNO on I-2109campaign is mobilizing a grassroots coalition of childcare providers, teachers parents, small business owners, and taxpayers to ensure voters understand what is at stake this November.
