Wallace, Probst join Republicans in anti-tax vote

Democratic State Rep. Deb Wallace faced a choice Wednesday: Vote with her party to suspend a voter-approved initiative, clearing the way for the Legislature to raise taxes by a simple majority vote — and pay the price in her run for Congress. Or vote against her party’s budget-balancing strategy — and insulate herself against Republican charges that she’s a tax-and-spend liberal.

She chose the second route, joining a handful of other Democrats, including fellow 17th District Rep. Tim Probst, who voted with Republicans to oppose suspending Initiative 960.

Wallace’s vote is not a complete surprise. “We need to privatize our liquor stores, make changes in the way we do business, and completely eliminate pay increases” for workers, she told The Columbian in January. “Until we take action on those, I don’t support revenue increases.”

Vancouver Democrats Jim Moeller and Jim Jacks voted with the majority to suspend the initiative temporarily. The measure passed the House 51-47.

Kathie Durbin