Letter to the Editor: Eyman Proposed Laws Would Be Harmful

— by B. Sadie Bailey —

I am concerned that many people are going to vote for yet another Tim Eyman initiative without knowing how much harm it will do to Washington State revenues, education, and tax reform. There are 5 Tim Eyman items on the ballot: I 1366, and Tax Advisory Ballots 10 through 13 – which, thanks to Eyman, now require a ballot “advisory” vote for every closure of tax loopholes or tax revenue increase passed by Wa. State Legislature.

Initiative 1366 orders the legislature to send a constitutional amendment to the voters next year requiring a two-thirds supermajority vote to close tax loopholes or raise revenue. If legislators refuse, Eyman’s initiative would create an $8 billion hole in our state budget over the next six years by cutting the sales tax by a full 1 percent. Just like the $30 car tabs initiative, which trashed revenues from (fairer) graduated tabs costs, and nearly bankrupted state transportation systems and infrastructure repairs, this initiative will also harm us in many unseen ways.

The worst thing about I-1366 is not only that it will make a 2/3 super majority necessary to pass any tax increases (we all know that is nearly impossible in any legislature!) but a super minority of only 12% opposed to the measure, even if the 2/3 is miraculously met, can block any bill’s passage. Our legislature would be hamstrung and unable to do anything.

The timing for I-1366 is very bad. Our state is being fined $100,000 a day for failing to fully fund education, yet Eyman’s initiative would make it nearly impossible to close wasteful corporate tax loopholes or fix our state’s dysfunctional tax system. A measure like this from Eyman failed last year, and I hope the voters will reject I-1366. This initiative, like so many of Eyman’s, will likely be found unconstitutional – which will cost the State more money that could be used to fund education and essential services.

Tim Eyman is again being investigated for his ongoing misappropriation, extortion and theft of campaign monies. Hopefully this time, he will be prosecuted. The biggest donors to Eyman’s I-1366 are big developers, fossil fuel industries, and Wall Street interests who have given Eyman hundreds of thousands of dollars to protect their special tax loopholes. (This may explain how Eyman has avoided prosecution for all of these years.)

Tax Advisory Votes – what they are: Thanks to a Tim Eyman initiative, the state legislature is required to submit any bill it passes that closes tax loopholes or raises revenue to a non-binding advisory vote.There is no information about Tax Advisory Votes 10-13 in our Voters’ Manual to help the voters understand what they are voting to “maintain” or “repeal”, regarding the 4 Tax Advisory Votes on our ballots: (Text below taken and edited from FUSE progressive voters’ guide. All bolds and italics in this editorial are mine.)

#10 – Legislators voted nearly unanimously for new oil train safety regulations, including directing some oil taxes to help pay for oil-train spill response. Senate Bill 1449 passed the legislature 141 to 1 with 5 excused. Vote to “maintain” this measure.(closes tax loopholes on the oil industry, to help the State pay for spill response and cleanup, which the oil industry almost always manages to stall or completely evade.)

#11- A bipartisan majority of legislators came together earlier this year to clarify that the marijuana excise tax should also apply to medical marijuana sales. Senate Bill 5052 passed the legislature 101 to 44 with 2 excused. Vote to “maintain” this measure. (raises tax revenues)

#12 – A broad majority of legislators voted for a comprehensive transportation bill to improve state and local roads, transit, bike paths, and pedestrian walkways. The package was funded with a small increase in the gas tax. Senate Bill 5987 passed the legislature 91 to 51 with 5 excused. Some aspects of the final transportation package weren’t great, but its’ better than nothing done at all for transportation infrastructure. Vote to “maintain” this measure. (raises tax revenues for spending on our transportation needs)

#13 – A large majority of legislators voted to close $150 million in unnecessary tax loopholes in order to generate revenue for education funding. This legislation, Senate Bill 6138, passed the legislature 95 to 48 with 4 excused. Vote to “maintain” this important measure.(closes tax loopholes, to help fund education).