Legislature and governor passed Eyman's measure

Regarding Bill Rathke’s letter (April 14): A majority of voters statewide (but not in Olympia) voted in favor of I-695. Opponents sued because it dealt with more than one subject, violating the state Constitution’s provision on citizen initiatives.

The state Supreme Court agreed, and that should have ended it. But the Legislature and the governor fell all over themselves in an unseemly rush to pass the measure which, since it was no longer a citizen initiative, was constitutional. (Our own 22nd District legislators voted “No.”)

MVET had been relied on excessively and became a political target. The Legislature and the governor could have acknowledged that and acted more carefully and at least protected local governments. But that was not the first nor was it the last time that the state of Washington has, almost unthinkingly, slashed local government revenue while cutting its own taxes statewide. For one example, exempting new industrial machinery from taxation 20 years ago devastated the budget of a small town across the Cascades, but few if any at the capitol seemed to take notice, or care.

Years later, urged on by local governments, the Legislature finally approved cities’ and counties’ own ability to add a tax on vehicle license renewals to help fund street repair. Local leaders, led by Olympia 10+ years ago, now use that method to recover some of the revenue lost when the Legislature and the governor overreacted to Eyman’s first effort.

Former Mayor, City of Olympia

This story was originally published April 22, 2017 at 7:21 PM with the headline "Legislature and governor passed Eyman's measure."