Tim Eyman's Latest Stupid Initiative Is Stupid

Initiative profiteer Tim Eyman has announced that his next ballot measure will sunset all future tax increases at one year. What a stupid, stupid, idea. (I mean, from a policy perspective. If your goal is merely to be a disruptive asshole, I suppose this idea is as good as any.)

Consider, for example, the transportation budget currently wending its way through the legislature. Transportation projects—things like bridges, tunnels, and highways—take a long time to plan and build. That's why the $4.4 billion in infrastructure projects are budgeted over a 12-year period, largely funded by a 10 cent increase in the gas tax phased in over the next four years (5/2/2/1). These are longterm projects—$3 billion of which are bonded—funded by a longterm revenue package.

Eyman's initiative would make such infrastructure projects impossible. I mean, you can't start widening I-405 or begin building a new Columbia River Crossing bridge if the revenue behind it must come up for a vote every year. With that sort of revenue uncertainty, it wouldn't make any sense. And, you certainly couldn't sell the bonds! That's the way things work in the real world.

Likewise on the operations side, you can't very well write a two-year budget on a one-year revenue package. That would just be stupid.

Hopefully, voters aren't as stupid as Eyman thinks they are.