Initiative seeking voter approval for raising taxes qualifies for ballot

An initiative that would make it harder to raise taxes approval has qualified for the November 2024 ballot, Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber announced Wednesday.

What supporters have dubbed “The Taxpayer Protection and Government Accountability Act,” would require voter approval for new or increased taxes enacted by the Legislature and increase the threshold for voter approval of local special taxes to two-thirds.

The initiative would also eliminate voters’ ability to advise how to spend revenues from a proposed general tax on the same ballot as the proposed tax. It would also expand the definition of taxes to include certain regulatory fees, broadening the application of tax approval requirements.

If approved by voters, the initiative would result in lower annual state and local revenues, potentially substantially lower, depending on future actions of the Legislature, local governing bodies, voters and the courts, according to an analysis by Legislative Analyst Gabriel Petek and state Director of Finance Joe Stephenshaw.

Valid signatures from 997,139 registered voters — 8% of the total votes cast for governor in the 2018 general election — were required to qualify the measure for the November 2024 ballot, Weber said in a statement.