Government plans to ignore people, will continue to collect taxes

from Tim Eyman

I-776 becomes law on December 5th. Elected officials take an oath to
uphold the laws of the people of the state of Washington. The Attorney
General takes an oath to enforce the laws of the people of the state of
Washington.

But with I-776, the government is saying to voters: "What are you going
to stop us if we simply decide to ignore our oath and the law?"

The government wants to play a game of chicken with the voters. Here's
an excerpt from the Associated Press today:

Motorists may keep paying the vehicle taxes and fees Tim Eyman's
Initiative 776 attempted to repeal because none of the government
agencies involved seem inclined to stop collecting them.

"They're clearly in a hole when it comes to public trust and they're
just digging themselves deeper and deeper and deeper," Eyman said.

"In the olden days they used to sue, now they're just saying we're going
to ignore laws that we don't agree with," Eyman said. "We are confident
that Christine Gregoire's office is going to fulfill their sworn
obligation to fight for the taxpayers and make sure their decision is
respected."

Gregoire's office has no plans to step in.

"We don't see that as our job," said Gary Larson, a spokesman for
Gregoire.

-- END --

This is unprecedented. A unified government deciding to flagrantly
break the law, doing so with impunity, and flaunting their power
directly in the voters's faces.

Our response has been forceful yet peaceful. We have simply "improved"
Initiative 800 so that the 75% legislative supermajority requirements
apply to state government, counties, cities, and towns (previously, it
only applied to state government) and improved the emergency clause to
ensure the initiative applies retroactively to November 1, 2002
(previously, it applied retroactively to January 1, 2003). These
changes would not have been made if not for politicians' refusal to
abide by the clear language, policies, purposes, and intent of I-776.
The final language of I-800 is not due until early January when we plan
to file it as an initiative to the people. And we are constantly
looking for ways to "improve" I-800 so that the taxpayers' message is
heard and the language is properly done.

Our thousands of supporters statewide are chomping at the bit for the
opportunity to get signatures for I-800. Fundraising for I-800 has
begun in earnest. We are buried in emails, phone calls, and faxes with
offers to help with I-800. I've never seen this much enthusiasm for any
initiative we've ever done, including I-695 which garnered 514,000
signatures, the second highest number in state history. And politicians
refusal to implement $30 tabs and refusal to have a revote on Sound
Transit light rail is pouring gasoline on the fire of enthusiasm for
I-800.

Politicians have made their bed, now they're going to have to sleep in
it.

Washington has the highest unemployment in the nation. We are in the
midst of a recession. Massive tax and fee increases and a state income
tax will only make our economic conditions worse. So I-800 simply says
that the people want to ensure that there is an overwhelming consensus
among our elected officials that all other options have been exhausted
before taxes and fees are increased.

Let's go to work.

Regards, Tim Eyman, ph: 425-493-9127, email: insignia@greekwatch.com

Voters Want More Choices I-800 · PO Box 18250 · Spokane · WA · 99228
Ph: 425-493-8707 · FAX: 509-467-4323 · www.i-776.com · email:
info@I-776.com