411 REFERENCE · Wikipedia
2006 Washington Initiative 933
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Initiative 933 Property Rights 839,992 1,199,679 File:2006 Washington Initiative 933 results map by county.svg County results
Yes:#b6c8d9 50–60%#7D9CBB 60–70%No:#DEDEBD 50–60%#BCBC83 60–70%#8B8B54 70–80% Source: Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections2006 Initiative General Election Results - Washington https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/state.php?year=2006&off=61&elect=0&fips=53&f=0 January 12, 2024 David Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections
Ballot Initiative 933 was a ballot initiative in the U.S. state of Washington in 2006. It concerned land use planning, and was voted down by 59% in the 2006 elections.https://voter.votewa.gov/WhereToVote.aspx Voter Portal voter.votewa.gov
The controversial initiative pitted the interests of real estate developers against environmental protection and preservation of natural resources.http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003110080_proprights07m.html Seattle Times July 7 2006 26 December 2022
The initiative is also known as I-933, titled "Property Rights" by the Secretary of State, "The Property Fairness Initiative" by its supporters, and the "Developers Initiative" by its opponents.
Content of the proposal
I-933 called for government agencies in the State of Washington to evaluate the effects directly on private real and personal property when implementing regulations or ordinances. It called for these government agencies to follow certain policies: either pay compensation when "damaging" property, to consider "less restrictive means," or to waive the implementation of the regulation.Full text of Ballot Initiative 933 (.pdf)
Cost
According to a study conducted by the University of WashingtonThe impacts of proposed Initiative 933 on real property and land use in Washington State https://web.archive.org/web/20061128214439/http://www.i933study.washington.edu/pdf/933report_web.pdf 2006-11-28 the initiative would have cost taxpayers an estimated $7.8 Billion during the first five years after enactment. The same study also found that "Virtually every county would likely be faced with claims, yet none have a tax revenue source in place for paying them."
Other effects
I-933 would have impacted critical areas that are protected to prevent flooding and protect fish, wildlife and groundwater.
Though it was described as establishing a "pay or waive" system, I-933 did not have the power to permit waivers in most relevant cases. This would have resulted in a "stymied decision" and uncertainty for both landowners and local governments, with the result of slowing down development permits.
I-933 would likely have led to a greater role for federal government in the region.
The initiative would have had implications not only for real estate, but on intellectual property rights, water rights, motor vehicles, securities and intangible commercial assets.
People and organizations involved
Supporters
Supporters of I-933 argued that the proposal would have protected private property owners from "excessive land-use regulations or proposed regulations that damage the use and value of private property."
A significant portion of the financial support for the campaign came from Americans for Limited Government, a libertarian-oriented group based in Illinois.Pryne Eric Your guide to Initiative 933 http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/your-guide-to-initiative-933/ 30 June 2015 Seattle Times October 16, 2006
Other supporters of the measure included:
Bainbridge Citizens United
Spokane Pro-America
Washington Cattleman's Association
Washington Contract Loggers Association
Farm Bureaus from Washington State
Opponents
Opponents of the initiative questioned why taxpayers should have "to pay some land owners to follow laws already on the books or waive those protections for the community".Noon933 Organization [2] I-933 required taxpayers to pay legal fees for all claims, including retroactive claims. Opponents of the proposal also pointed out that the Washington Farm Bureau represents primarily large corporations and has an established record of supporting Republican candidates with PAC money.https://wsfb.com/ Washington Farm Bureau | The Voice of WA Agriculture wsfb.com The Association of Washington Cities argued the Initiative would have cost taxpayers 4.5 billion dollars a year in claims against municipalities. Environmentalists claimed "Initiative 933 would dismantle ... (environmental) protections, making it extremely difficult to enforce the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act." Moreover, I-933 allocated no funding for the payments it required, raising fears that taxes would have been increased and/or that funding to key infrastructural programs would have been cut. Lobbyists in favor of the bill dismissed these accusations as scare tactics.Local news December 2022 On October 10, 2006, all six of Washington's living former governors joined current Gov. Christine Gregoire to oppose Initiative 933. "I-933 is an extremely vague and loophole-ridden initiative that exposes our taxpayers to great expense," said former Gov. Gary Locke.https://www.seattlepi.com/seattlenews/article/State-s-former-leaders-oppose-I-933-1216797.php State's former leaders oppose I-933 AMY ROLPH October 10, 2006 Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Organizations that opposed the initiative included: noon933.org
Former Governors Booth Gardner (D), Daniel J. Evans (R), Gary Locke (D), Mike Lowry (D), John Spellman (R)
State Senators Luke Esser (R), Mary Margaret Haugen (D)
State Representatives Fred Jarrett (R), Sam Hunt (D)
American Institute of Architects, Washington Council and Seattle Chapter
Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce
American Planning Association
Washington State Building Trades
AFSCME - Washington State Council of County & City Employees
Washington State Labor Council
Various neighborhood associations
Washington Association of Churches
American Lung Association of Washington
Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility
National Wildlife Federation
United Farm Workers
Amalgamated Transit Union Locals 1015 and 757
American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees - Councils 2 and 28
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Locals 112 and 483
Ironworkers Local 14
National Association of Letter Carriers 791
Service Employees International Union, Washington State Council
UNITE HERE Local 8
United Food and Commercial Workers - Washington State Council and Local 21
Democracy for America (Bellingham and Kitsap Bainbridge)
Washington State Democrats, and 12 county committees and 17 legislative districts
King County Young Democrats
Green Party of Washington State
League of Women Voters of Washington
Permanent Defense
American Federation of Teachers, Washington
Audubon Society Washington
Sierra Club Northwest and Cascade Chapter
Surfrider Foundation Northwest Straits and Seattle Chapters
The Nature Conservancy of Washington
Cascade Bicycle Club
Washington Conservation Voters
Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians
Precedents
I-933 was similar to Initiative 164, a 1995 bill passed by the Washington legislature and subsequently repealed by ballot initiative (referendum 48.)
It was also similar to Oregon Ballot Measure 37 (2004),http://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/Recordpdf/6873502 Content Manager WebDrawer - 2004 General Election Voters Pamphlet Volume 1 State Measures records.sos.state.or.us 2019-08-21 2019-08-22 https://web.archive.org/web/20190822121508/http://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/Recordpdf/6873502 dead as well as numerous 2006 initiatives promoted in other states (nearly all of which were defeated.)
Results
Washington Secretary of State 2006 Washington Initiative 933 839992 1199679
By county
+County resultsCountyhttps://www.sos.wa.gov/elections/results_report.aspx?e=134&c=&c2=&t=&t2=5&p=&p2=&y= https://web.archive.org/web/20260131190835/https://www.sos.wa.gov/elections/results_report.aspx?e=134&c=&c2=&t=&t2=5&p=&p2=&y= January 31, 2026 live Elections Search Results November 2006 General State Totals Proofed · County Totals Proofed Reed Sam Sam Reed November 7, 2006 Secretary of State of Washington March 1, 2026NoYesMarginTotal votes#%#%#%Adams1,47242.80%1,96757.20%-495-14.39%3,439Asotin3,85953.76%3,31946.24%5407.52%7,178Benton21,27944.13%26,94455.87%-5,665-11.75%48,223Chelan11,03748.40%11,76751.60%-730-3.20%22,804Clallam18,27661.04%11,66638.96%6,61022.08%29,942Clark55,78049.70%56,45650.30%-676-0.60%112,236Columbia82544.09%1,04655.91%-221-11.81%1,871Cowlitz13,36843.96%17,03956.04%-3,671-12.07%30,407Douglas5,03746.12%5,88553.88%-848-7.76%10,922Ferry1,04437.62%1,73162.38%-687-24.76%2,775Franklin4,59736.78%7,90063.22%-3,303-26.43%12,497Garfield56649.35%58150.65%-15-1.31%1,147Grant8,72744.97%10,68055.03%-1,953-10.06%19,407Grays Harbor12,14355.68%9,66644.32%2,47711.36%21,809Island19,64566.22%10,02233.78%9,62332.44%29,667Jefferson10,55866.19%5,39233.81%5,16632.39%15,950King412,02466.97%203,21333.03%208,81133.94%615,237Kitsap56,19262.85%33,20937.15%22,98325.71%89,401Kittitas5,74447.38%6,38052.62%-636-5.25%12,124Klickitat2,93340.52%4,30559.48%-1,372-18.96%7,238Lewis9,92339.48%15,21260.52%-5,289-21.04%25,135Lincoln2,42652.26%2,21647.74%2104.52%4,642Mason12,06457.26%9,00642.74%3,05814.51%21,070Okanogan5,48943.12%7,24256.88%-1,753-13.77%12,731Pacific3,71943.38%4,85556.62%-1,136-13.25%8,574Pend Oreille2,46148.62%2,60151.38%-140-2.77%5,062Pierce114,77255.01%93,85444.99%20,91810.03%208,626San Juan5,34066.22%2,72433.78%2,61632.44%8,064Skagit28,69170.69%11,89729.31%16,79441.38%40,588Skamania1,58340.21%2,35459.79%-771-19.58%3,937Snohomish123,48360.94%79,14339.06%44,34021.88%202,626Spokane85,05956.34%65,90343.66%19,15612.69%150,962Stevens7,58545.27%9,17154.73%-1,586-9.47%16,756Thurston53,84464.59%29,51735.41%24,32729.18%83,361Wahkiakum70840.27%1,05059.73%-342-19.45%1,758Walla Walla8,14646.49%9,37653.51%-1,230-7.02%17,522Whatcom42,20062.22%25,62537.78%16,57524.44%67,825Whitman7,45658.55%5,27941.45%2,17717.09%12,735Yakima19,62436.73%33,79963.27%-14,175-26.53%53,423Totals1,199,67958.82%839,99241.18%359,68717.63%2,039,671
References
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External links
An article on the projected costs of I-933
An article comparing I-933 to Oregon's Measure 37
An article in the Seattle Times examining public perception of I-933
Full text of the Washington Constitution provided by the Washington State Legislature https://web.archive.org/web/20051224013928/http://www1.leg.wa.gov/LawsAndAgencyRules/Constitution.htm 2005-12-24
The Nature Conservancy's analysis of I-933 https://web.archive.org/web/20061005134658/http://www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/washington/contact/art18708.html 2006-10-05
The Oregonian "fact box" regarding Americans for Limited Government
An analysis of the ecological impact of I-933
Category:Environment of Washington (state)
Category:2006 Washington (state) ballot measures
Category:Initiatives in the United States