40,000 TO GO!
EYMAN TURNS IN 199,516 SIGS FOR I-747
"We're not there yet, but we've cleared the first and highest
hurdle"
CONTACT TIM EYMAN AT: 425-493-9127
LOCATION: Secretary of State's office in the Capitol Building,
Olympia
Contact person for Secretary of State: Jean Womer - 360-586-8429
DATE: Tuesday, June 26th
Today, our campaign submitted 199,516 signatures to the Secretary of
State's office. We must gather an additional 40,000 signatures
before
the July 6th deadline in order to qualify for the November ballot.
We
invite you to help us. We are sponsoring Initiative 747, the Right
to
Vote on Property Taxes Initiative. I-747 requires voter approval
for
ANY property tax increase above 1% per year. Imagine, with I-747,
politicians will have to ask your permission to raise your property
taxes. With I-747, the average taxpayer will have an equal voice
in the
process.
Property taxes are skyrocketing in Washington and reasonable limits are
needed. I-747 allows working class families and senior citizens,
and
not just rich people, to be able to buy and own a home in our state.
I-747 is a compromise proposal. Many taxpayers feel property taxes
should be cut. Other taxpayers want property taxes to continue to
skyrocket. Neither side gets all of what they want with I-747.
That's
why we believe I-747 strikes a fair balance.
Besides, Washington is ranked as the 5th highest taxed state in the
nation and the government has a $1.2 billion tax surplus.
Politicians
should apologize to taxpayers for making them work so hard for
reasonable tax limitations. It's not like voters have been vague
about
their demands.
In 1999, 514,000 citizens voluntarily signed I-695 petitions and got it
on the ballot (it was the 2nd highest number of signatures in state
history). I-695 provided taxpayers with a $750,000,000 tax
reduction
($30 vehicle tabs) and required voter approval for any tax or fee
increase. Despite being attacked relentlessly by a huge coalition
of
Big Business, Big Labor, politicians and the press, nearly 1 million
voters OK'd I-695 approving it 56%-44%. Before it took effect,
politicians sued the voters and filed numerous lawsuits to stop it.
And
to add insult to injury, politicians financed their lawsuits with
taxpayer dollars. It was outrageous. Voters were entitled to
I-695's
policies but politicians stole them away.
In 2000, 270,000 citizens voluntarily signed I-722 petitions and got it
on the ballot. I-722 got rid of the unfair tax and fee increases
that
were imposed prior to I-695 taking effect, required the tax revenues
generated from these unfair increases to be refunded to taxpayers, and
limited property tax increases. I-722 provided a $100,000,000 tax
reduction and limited property tax increases. And 1.3 million
voters
approved I-722 and it passed 56%-44%. Once again, politicians sued
the
voters and filed numerous taxpayer-funded lawsuits to stop it.
Voters
were entitled to I-722's policies but politicians stole them away.
As public servants, politicians had a moral and ethical obligation to
implement and follow the provisions in I-695 and I-722. They did
not.
Politicians stuck their finger in the eye of the taxpayers and stole the
policies and tax revenues the voters were entitled to. Their
contemptible actions only deepened our determination to ensure the
taxpayers' interests were defended.
Politicians have been arrogant and selfish. With the tremendous
amount
of bad faith that they've created, politicians should be thankful
Initiative 747 is such an incredibly moderate proposal. I-695
required
voter approval for ALL tax and fee increases I-747 requires voter
approval only for property tax increases (even allowing a reasonable 1%
limit before voter approval is required). I-695 and I-722 provided
immediate and substantial tax relief I-747 doesn't cut taxes at all,
it simply limits property tax increases.
Even our opponents admitted I-747 was moderate. On the day we
filed
I-747, Knoll Lowney, one of the many taxpayer-funded lawyers hired to
oppose our initiatives, was quoted in the Tacoma News Tribune as saying,
"He's given up on doing anything ambitious."
Translation: "not
ambitious" means moderate. Lowney also said, "He's
looking for a sure
win." Translation: "sure win" means voters
will likely support I-747's
reasonable property tax limits.
So our opponents know I-747 is a moderate proposal that is likely to be
supported by voters. So that explains their campaign strategy:
"Vote
no on I-747 because we don't like Tim Eyman." Is that kooky
or what?
It's like asking you to stop buying Diet Coke because some people don't
like their CEO. With initiatives, voters decide based on the
issues,
not the sponsors. Our opponents don't understand that.
Voters support
our ideas not our personalities.
Politicians should be relieved that I-747 is such a moderate, reasonable
proposal. They ought to say to themselves "Wow, we sure
dodged the
bullet by stealing I-695 and I-722 from the taxpayers. But darn
it,
looks like we're gonna have to live with I-747. Guess we can't win
them
all."
Politicians should apologize to taxpayers for making it so tough to
limit taxes. Until we hear "I'm sorry" from the
politicians, please
help us put reasonable limits on property tax increases by helping us
get I-747 on the ballot.
We're not there yet, we must get 40,000 more signatures to qualify but
we've cleared the first and highest hurdle.
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