Will the GOP indorsement help?

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Will the GOP indorsement help? Maybe. It can't hurt.

Political FYI GOP boosts Eyman Herald staff GOP boosts Eyman

Mukilteo resident Tim Eyman, the man who brought us Initiative 695, said a state GOP endorsement of his two latest efforts is a significant step in acquiring enough signatures to get them on the ballot in November.

At its recent meeting in Yakima, the state Republican committee overwhelmingly endorsed Eyman's two new initiatives, I-722 and I-745.

The first repeals tax increases imposed after I-695 qualified for the ballot last year, and limits total property tax increases to just 2 percent a year. Besides giving us a $30 car tab, I-695 required voter approval of all tax and fee increases. Eyman said many jurisdictions tried to get around the voter provision of I-695 with eleventh-hour tax increases.

I-745 is a newly filed initiative that requires the state to spend 90 percent of transportation funds on road construction and maintenance, including the ferries. The proposal was refiled recently when Eyman gave up a bid to open up high-occupancy freeway lanes.

"We took a real risk in refiling the traffic-improvement initiative 745," Eyman said.

But the state GOP endorsement should give the signature-gathering drive a boost, even though he has only until July 8 to produce 180,000 valid voter signatures for each initiative.

Last year, the state Republicans delayed their endorsement until long after Eyman had gathered more than 500,000 voter signatures to put I-695 on the ballot.

Eyman said he figures he needs to raise $100,000 for I-722 and up to $500,000 for I-745 to help pay for professional signature-gathering workers needed for both campaigns.

-- (craigcar@crosswinds.net), May 25, 2000

Answers

Wrong, I-745 takes almost all funding from the ferries and will shut the system down. All you need to do is read it. Transportation funds for roads in I-745 include "public transit and ferry operating accounts and reserves, public transit and ferry capital accounts and reserves".

-- Mike (atu1384@earthlink.net), June 06, 2000.

Trying to use a bit of "Union Propaganda" huh Mikey?

-- Marsha (acorn_nut@hotmail.com), June 06, 2000.

I-745 shuts the ferries down? Where do I sign?

My community needs all the commuters it can get to help buy a bridge. Anybody interested in helping out?

-- Matthew M. Warren (mattinsky@msn.com), June 06, 2000.


"Wrong, I-745 takes almost all funding from the ferries and will shut the system down. "

Why don't you just raise the fares until they cover operating expenses? That way the ones who benefit from the ferries can cover their own costs.

the craigster

-- (craigcar@crosswinds.net), June 06, 2000.


I would agree with that as soon as we put tolls on all roads. Those who use the ferries pay taxes to pay for roads. Should they be exempt from paying for your commute? Or should they be required to pay for both? Mike

-- (mkpow1962@earthlink.net), June 07, 2000.


"I would agree with that as soon as we put tolls on all roads." We have that. It's called state and federal gas taxes.

"Those who use the ferries pay taxes to pay for roads." The drivers do through gas taxes. The passengers may or may not. And the drivers pay more or less depending upon how much they use the ROADS,/B> regardless of whether or not they use the ferries at all.

"Should they be exempt from paying for your commute?" If they aren't buying gas themselves, they damn sure ought not to be paying gas taxes. If they are using the ferry AND using the roads, they ought to be paying for both. If they fly an airplane, they ought to be paying aviation fuel taxes, too. But that doesn't mean that because someone who drives ought to be exempted from paying ferry fares just because they also pay gas taxes, or vice versa. Are you being intentionally disengenuous, or are you truly that stupid?

"Or should they be required to pay for both?" Of course if they are using both ferries and roads they should be paying for both ferries and roads.

-- Mark Stilson (mark842@hotmail.com), June 07, 2000.


"Are you being intentionally disengenuous, or are you truly that stupid?"

Actually, he is only reciting what his Union bosses/Labor council tell him to. Mikey stopped thinking for himself 6-7 years ago.

-- Marsha (acorn-nut@hotmail.com), June 07, 2000.


And now John Carlson is ALSO indorsing 745.

-- (mark842@hotmail.com), June 11, 2000.

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