I-1033: Fiscal discipline or budget obstruction?
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The News Tribune: The long-standing chess match between Tim Eyman and Government, with a capital G, entered its 10th season this year with Initiative 1033, another ballot measure that seeks to limit how much money state and local lawmakers can collect from their taxpayers.
Eyman began in 1999 with I-695, a measure to eliminate the state car tax, which cost state and local governments about $800 million a year in lost revenue and saved taxpayers that same amount. Although a judge invalidated I-695, the Legislature enacted the measure because it had passed with so much public support. Cutting taxes and limiting tax growth are recurring themes for the watch salesman-turned-professional tax fighter.
This time around, Eyman wants to put cities, counties and the state on an allowance that can grow each year, but by no more than the rate of growth in population and inflation. Any money collected in excess of that growth rate would have to be rebated to property owners in the form of lower taxes. Eyman says it is a reasonable limit that would force elected officials to be more disciplined in how they spend public dollars. “They cannot control themselves during good times,” he said. “I honestly believe government will be better off with this fiscal discipline. It will keep them from over-expanding, hiring too much in good times, then contracting in bad times. Either we put this kind of limit on them or they will create fiscal roller coasters from now until doomsday.”
Public officials, unions, social service groups and others who have mobilized to oppose Eyman say I-1033 would work severe hardships on governments at a time when they are laying off workers and struggling to provide services because of a deep recession. “His past initiatives have kind of taken bites around the apple,” said Gig Harbor Councilman Derek Young, a 12-year incumbent. “This one is a buzz saw. We’d be cutting into basic services, public safety, education and roads.”
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