Initiative 985: Latest Eyman proposaldoesn't benefit area, shouldn't be approved

One question we would raise about Initiative 985: Why is it on a statewide ballot rather than a regional one, say in Puget Sound where most of its impact would be felt?

We don't have an answer, either.

The measure is this year's Tim Eyman ballot proposal and unlike the anti-tax proposals that have been his hallmark and helped him make a living as a professional initiative consultant, this one is a transportation hodge-podge that tries to do too much at once and actually costs taxpayers money. More on that later.

We recommend a no vote.

The initiative has three main components: 1) It forces cities and counties to synchronize traffic lights on busy streets and highways, 2) opens carpool lanes to all motorists during non-peak hours, and 3) requires accidents be cleared off the freeways as rapidly as possible.

No. 1 takes away local control of local traffic light decisions and replaces it with a state mandate. Nos. 2 and 3 are Puget Sound freeway gridlock issues that really don't apply to much of the state. When is the last time you took an HOV lane through Yakima?

Eyman likes to say his initiative simply implements some of the 22 recommendations of a performance audit of the state Department of Transportation that was conducted by state Auditor Brian Sonntag's office because those "politicians" in Olympia that Eyman likes to rail against are ignoring them.

We're not buying it and neither should voters.

Consider the title of Sonntag's audit: "Washington State Department of Transportation, Managing and Reducing Congestion in Puget Sound."

That pretty much spells out the scope. Sonntag also says the state Department of Transportation has told his office that some 80 percent of the audit recommendations for efficiencies and savings will have been addressed by the end of the year.

Besides, opponents point out that I-985 really only involves a couple of the audit concerns in the first place: light synchronization and roadside assistance. The HOV thing is Eyman's idea and as far as we know, he's no traffic engineer who can dispute concerns that his proposal could actually increase congestion problems.

Finally, Eyman's claim that his initiative won't cost the taxpayers anything is pure smoke and mirrors. The main source of money for the new Reduce Traffic Congestion Account would be siphoning off 15 percent of the sales tax collected from the sale of new and used motor vehicles.

That's a tax shift, with that money taken away from the state general fund and put in the new earmarked pot. The state Office of Financial Management estimates the loss to the general fund over the first five years would be $573.9 million.

Such sales tax raids are favorite funding sources for Eyman initiatives. His Initiative 900 approved by voters in 2005 established the performance audit system, which is paid for with a special set-aside of 0.16 percent of the state sales tax. It raises about $12 million a year. While we like the audits, they are, in fact, paid for by a raid on the sales tax.

Now consider that the basic state sales tax rate is 6.5 cents per dollar (additional local retail sales range from 0.5 to 2.4 cents per dollar around the state) and hasn't changed since 1983.

If we keep eroding sales tax collections to pay for Eyman initiatives, not only does that take away money for needed regular general fund programs, it also raises the prospect that somewhere along the line the Legislature may well have to look at raising the basic sales tax rate to offset these raids.

There is no free lunch, folks. Another hit on the state sales tax for such a questionable venture is not good public policy at a time when the state is looking at a $3 billion-plus deficit in the 2009-11 state budget.

This initiative isn't firing on all cylinders and voters should send it to the wrecking yard with a no vote in the Nov. 4 general election.

• Members of the Yakima Herald-Republic editorial board are Michael Shepard, Sarah Jenkins, Bill Lee and Karen Troianello.

What it does

* Mandates synchronization of traffic signals on arterials and highways.

* Opens carpool lanes to all motorists during nonpeak hours.

* Requires accidents be cleared off the road as rapidly as possible.

How it's funded

* $128 million from 15 percent set-aside of new and used car sales taxes.

* $13 million from red-light cameras' revenues (currently operating in at least 15 Washington cities).

* $9 million from transportation funds currently spent on public art.

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