Initiatives’ funder will debate at Bellingham election forum

Brian Heywood, the Redmond millionaire behind ballot initiatives that seek to overturn or weaken recently enacted social and environmental legislation on the November ballot, will appear in Bellingham to speak at an election forum.

Heywood will attend a Bellingham City Club event scheduled for 11:30 a.m. Oct. 16 at the Bellingham Yacht Club, 2625 S. Harbor Loop Drive.

City Club is a non-partisan civic organization that was formed in 1993 to create dialogue on key local issues. It holds election forums for many ballot offices and measures.

Topics scheduled for discussion on Oct. 16 include:

▪ Initiative 2066 that focuses on restrictions on access to natural gas.

▪ Initiative 2109, which would repeal capital gains tax paid on the sale of stocks, bonds, and other non-retirement assets exceeding $250,000 annually. An estimated 0.2% of Washington taxpayers see enough profits to pay this tax, according to the Washington State Budget and Policy Center.

▪ Initiative 2117 that repeals Gov. Jay Inslee’s signature Climate Commitment Act, a “cap and invest” program that makes polluters pay to address climate change. It has raised more than $2 billion in two years, but critics claim it has raised gas prices. Whatcom County stands to lose $200 million in Climate Commitment Act programs, according to the group Risk of Repeal.

▪ Initiative 2124, which affects the state’s long-term care insurance program.

Heywood is scheduled to speak in favor of the four initiatives. State Rep. Alex Ramel, D-Bellingham; state Sen. Liz Lovelett, D-Anacortes; representatives of Invest in Washington Now; and the AARP will discuss why they think voters should reject them.

Let’s Go Washington is facing allegations that it violated state election law in collecting signatures for the fall ballot, according to recent reporting in the nonprofit Washington State Standard.

The group has raised more than $6.5 million to promote the initiatives, according to the state Public disclosure Commission.

A buffet lunch will be served. Before the program, which runs from noon to 1:30 p.m. Tickets are $25 for members and $30 for non-members, $10 for youth under 25, and $10 for the program only without a meal.