Eyman tax initiative headed for Nov. ballot

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OLYMPIA — Citizen activists promoting ballot measures that would raise cigarette taxes and put a limit on property taxes submitted their final signatures yesterday, confident that they will qualify for the November ballot.

The Secretary of State's Office said it expects both initiatives - as well as a third initiative on home-health-care workers - will be certified and presented to voters in the fall.

Initiative promoter Tim Eyman came flying in with more than 280,000 voter signatures yesterday to ensure a public vote on Initiative 747, a property-tax-limit proposal.

His latest effort, the fifth in the past four years, would limit property-tax growth to 1 percent a year, although local officials could ask voters to exceed that, as schools currently do with special levies.

Opponents told reporters that Eyman's plan would harm basic services by undercutting an important source of revenue. It also would hamstring elected officials by requiring them to seek voter approval if they needed a higher levy to maintain vital programs, opponents said.

But backers called it a moderate proposal that would help taxpayers stay in their homes and force local governments to become more efficient.

Yesterday was the deadline to turn in initiative signatures. Eyman had previously submitted nearly 200,000, or roughly the number needed to qualify for the ballot. Election officials recommend turning in about 230,000 to allow for duplicate or invalid signatures.

Eyman is best-known for his initiatives rolling back affirmative-action programs, reducing the car-tab tax to $30 a year, and requiring public votes on tax increases. The courts have struck down two of his measures, and voters last year rejected his plan to require 90 percent of all transportation money be spent on highway construction.

"Clearly, 747 is by far the most moderate proposal we're ever done," said Eyman, a Mukilteo businessman.

But opposition spokesman Christian Sinderman said the proposed 1 percent limit would not keep pace with the cost of providing services.

"This would hamstring local service providers, including hospitals, libraries and fire districts. It would be impossible to plan ahead and to be able to provide essential services," he said.

Also likely to qualify for the ballot is Initiative 773, which would make Washington's cigarette tax the highest in the nation. Sponsors had submitted about 270,000 signatures.

The initiative would add a 60-cent tax to cigarettes, bringing the total tax on a pack to $1.42.

The money would be used to enroll more people in the state's Basic Health Plan, which offers coverage for people who don't qualify for Medicaid but can't afford private insurance.

The sponsors' goals are two-fold: to improve health-care coverage and decrease smoking.

"When you increase the price of tobacco, the likelihood of kids starting to smoke goes down," said Astrid Berg, executive director of the American Lung Association of Washington and sponsor of the initiative.

Mary Cranovale, a spokeswoman for Philip Morris, said it was premature to say whether the world's largest tobacco company will campaign against I-773. But she said, "We believe it's unfair to tax one group of consumers to pay for programs that benefit everyone."

The Basic Health Plan covers about 130,000 people. Because of budget cuts, enrollment will be reduced through attrition to 125,000 people.

I-773 is the second health-care-related initiative to be submitted this year. The other, I-775, would create a board to regulate home-health-care workers, with the aim of improving standards and care.