Is the Clark County press release about state initiatives a violation of state law?

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Here's the Clark County Commissioners Press Release (Typically leftist, I might add, given the selective fact set they use) on the upcoming initiatives:

9/9/2010

County sees potential losses due to state liquor ballot measures

Contact

Mary Keltz, Public Information Outreach Phone: (360) 397-6012 ext. 3 mary.keltz@clark.wa.gov

Vancouver, WA -- Initiatives on the November ballot could further erode local services as the measures take a toll on state and county budgets, Clark County budget staff told the Board of County Commissioners Wednesday.

Here is how the measures could affect Clark County:

- I-1100 would eliminate state-owned liquor stores and the state’s centralized distribution center, cutting county funding by $1 million in 2011-12 and $1.4 million every two years starting in 2013.

- I-1105 would eliminate the liquor excise tax and state Liquor Control Board revenue, cutting county funding $1.2 million in 2011-12 and $2 million every two years as of 2013.

- I-1007 would repeal the recently implemented soda, candy and bottled water tax and reduce sales tax for certain food processors, cutting up to $300,000 a year from county revenues.

Budget staff presented that preliminary assessment as part of the September monitoring report on county revenues and expenses. The Board plans to take a closer look at the local impact of state initiatives during an upcoming work session.

The monthly report shows a delicate balance between county revenues and expenses through the end of 2010. However, the outlook for 2011 and 2012 is becoming increasingly uncertain due to continuing weakness the job market, retail sales, construction and housing.

August sales tax revenues were down 6 percent from August 2009, the first significant decline in six months. If sales tax revenues are flat through 2012, the county would receive $2.5 million less than expected under slow-growth scenarios.

A $3.7 million cut is easily sustained: a 20% reduction in salaries and benefits for all county workers makes it a simple task. And supporting Moeller's idiotic "is it is, or is it ain't" candy tax doesn't get them any sympathy from me.

That said, there doesn't seem to be any mention of sales tax from the sale of liquor. Does the county commission believe that the sale of liquor would be tax free?

Of course not.

Then why isn't there any mention of the sales tax revenue from the sale of liquor after these initiatives are adopted in this county sob story?

If you're going to tell "the facts," then tell ALL of the facts... and in this case, that means including the sales tax revenue from non governmental sales... a figure strangely absent from the self-serving pap put out by our county government.

It is a violation of state law to use public resources to support or oppose an initiative. By failing to address all of the issues, including the failure to provide the projections of sales tax to make up the difference in "lost" revenue, one wonders: is this press release such a violation, since it reads more like a campaign hit piece then an informational summary?
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