This year the Washington State Catholic Conference has not taken a position on any of the initiatives, but we, the Catholic Bishops of Washington State ask you to participate in the political process by informing your conscience and voting. To understand how your vote will impact us as a society we encourage you to listen to and read about the elections. As Catholics, we bring our values to the debate about our future, realizing that the issues before us have moral dimensions. Every human person is created in the image and likeness of God and has dignity that must be respected in society. The human person is not only sacred but also inherently social.
Every person has a right to participate in society and a duty to work for the common good.
God has a special love for the poor and vulnerable. In our tradition we hold that a legitimate role of government is to serve the common good and to provide for people in need. It is through our taxes that we provide for the basic needs of the very poor. The state budget reflects our values about fairness in our community, and some of the initiatives have a significant impact on the budget. After reflecting on our Catholic Social Teachings, we invite you to examine your own motives and involvement with the issues, and discuss the issues with others .