Vote YES on Referendum 88 and NO on Initiative 976!
Washington voters should have received their ballots in the mail this week, jam packed with important choices to make at the state, county, and city levels. While we know the ballot is long (you can blame Tim Eyman for that…more on him in a minute), there are a couple of ballot measures that are really worth paying careful attention to: Referendum 88 and Initiative 976.
Some of you may remember Initiative 200, which was on the Washington State ballot back in 1998. Initiative 200 prohibited affirmative action in public employment and education, and it passed with 58% of the vote. The initiative was also the first piece of legislation brought to ballot by noxious, infamous Tim Eyman. In a strange opportunity for restorative justice, twenty-one years later, Washington State can overturn that decision on I-200, and also reject Eyman’s latest tax-reduction scheme (I-976) on the same ballot.
This fall, you’ll see Referendum Measure 88 on your ballot. A ‘yes’ vote on 88 will essentially repeal I-200. This is all a little confusing, so for context let’s back up a few steps.
In April 2019, the Washington state legislature voted to approve Initiative-1000, which reverses much of I-200, with a majority of 56–42 in the House and 26–22 in the Senate. I-1000 doesn’t permit the selection of a “less qualified” candidate based on demographics, nor does it allow the use of quotas. So, what does it do and how does it assist restorative justice? It allows for the consideration of characteristics such as race, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or veteran status as a factor in hiring or admissions at public institutions, something that we lost back in 1998 with the passage of I-200.
Right after the passing of Initiative-1000, opposition groups filed a referendum to put the initiative on the ballot for a public vote. This is Referendum Measure 88. A ‘no’ vote on 88 would in effect veto I-1000, resulting in Washington continuing to ban affirmative action.
As women, as scientists, and as people who give a damn about equity in science and elsewhere, we recommend that you vote ‘yes’ on Referendum Measure 88 to keep Initiative 1000 in place. Centuries of discrimination and racism have functioned to keep diversity within the scientific community low. Such discrimination occurs at crushingly high rates within scientific fields to Black, Indigenous and other people of color, LGBTQ+ people, and scientists with DACA or undocumented immigration status. Even white women, who often benefit from problematic alignment with white male power, frequently experience such discrimination.
The best scientific advancements are made when opportunities and resources are accessible to all minds and hearts. Diverse teams, institutions, and companies produce better science — that’s the way it works. This isn’t about preferential treatment. It’s about accepting that systemic inequalities exist, and beginning to address them. It’s about helping all people fully participate and thrive in society, especially in public education and employment, which is where so much of science happens. The level playing field is a myth. We’re not there yet. There’s a big difference between equality and equity.
The second ballot initiative, I-976, relates to a seemingly different topic, and yet is no less about equity. I-976 proposes to reduce all vehicle license fees to a flat $30, and base vehicle taxes on the Blue Book value for the car rather than the manufacturer’s suggested retail price. Sounds good, right? Who among us enjoys paying vehicle license fees? However, if passed, this initiative is estimated to threaten $25 billion in funding for roads and transportation projects in Washington State. Yes, it will cause big cuts at Sound Transit, but the effects will not be isolated to Seattle. We’re talking about the light rail expansion, but also about things like ferry improvements, bridge and overpass safety, and freight mobility. Funding for local transit and road maintenance in over 60 cities statewide is at risk. The cuts are also predicted to have the biggest effect on some of our most vulnerable groups, such as low-income workers, or seniors and people with disabilities. Not so great. Who likes having nice roads and a convenient transit system? Almost everybody, we’d reckon. Let’s not take it for granted. Washington State should be willing to pay for everything that we’re getting from the vehicle license fee money. It’s not a viable transit solution to just tell everyone to get into her private vehicle and drive around fending for herself, Mad Max style. (Click link for actual video simulation of a typical Seattle commute if this thing passes.)
Speaking of Mad Max, there’s another big reason why we as women scientists recommend that you vote ‘no’ on I-976. It’s the looming climate crisis. A large portion of our carbon emissions (the majority, even, if you’re in a city like Seattle) comes from passenger vehicles. We’re not saying you have to get rid of your car and never use it again. But if we’re going to survive into the next century (literally), we’re going to need lots of solutions making it easier for people to get around by bus, bike, and train. If you want to keep using your private car (for now)… fine. But you’re going to have to pay a bit extra for that luxury in order to help everyone in the community get around in a more sustainable manner. Plus, if you are still driving your private car every day, we bet you’d love to chip in to help get some more cars off the roads, and their drivers into safe, convenient, comfortable public transit.
The deadline to vote is November 5th!
