Ledger

The Associated Students of University of Washington Tacoma [Student Government] approved a resolution that established their overall position regarding Statewide Initiative 920 5-0, with one not voting, at the Oct. 27 meeting.

The resolution will create a separate “committee to produce a press release for local media outlets…calling for the student body, faculty, and the staff of UWT as well as the greater Tacoma community to vote ‘No’” on the initiative.

Authors of the resolution, President Nick Bubb and Senator Chris Karnes, cited that $184.5 million in revenue would be eliminated from both public schools and higher education over the 2007-2009 state budget as their main reason for opposition to I-920. “[This is another] tax break for only the wealthiest Washingtonians. Only a person who leave $2 million, or $4 million if a couple is involved, get charged the tax. And its only 10 percent of the wealth,” Karnes said.

Several senators supported the resolution wholeheartedly, citing the redistribution of wealth from rich to poor and the position of Bill Gates Sr. on the university’s board of regents (Gates is actively opposed to I-920).

Vice-President Noah Schmidt was the only senator who strongly opposed the resolution because he sees the estate tax as a whole a double tax on all Washingtonians.

 “Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for funding education,” Schmidt said, “but I believe there are other ways to fund public schools and universities other than this.”

In other business:

• A senate bill that requires those in office to maintain a minimum quarterly

GPA of 2.5 passed.

• A bill detailing the policies and procedures of the Advocacy and Judiciary

Committee was postponed for discussion until the next meeting because the author

of the bill was absent.

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