Eyman's latest: The Tim Machine kicks in
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Tim Eyman, the robo-sponsor of initiatives for smaller, cheaper government, and his partners have turned in what they estimate as over 314,000 voter signatures in support of the latest measure, I-1033.
That would appear to be enough to earn a place on the November ballot, and apparently the only citizen initiative voters will face this year. It's Eyman's 12th to make the ballot.
Sponsors of a measure cracking down on services to illegal immigrants said they didn't collect enough signatures to warrant a trip to Olympia. Referendum sponsors, including those challenging a new "everything but marriage" domestic partnership law, still are gathering sigs. They have until July 25 to turn in 120,577 valid signatures.
Some years, many campaigns make the dash to the finish line for turning in initiative petitions, but this year, only Eyman and Jack and Mike Fagan did the trick. They need 241,153 valid signatures – that's equal to 8 percent of last year's gubernatorial vote – to make the ballot. They turned in over 19,000 petition sheets. Elections Division crews will do a 3 percent random sample test to determine how many of Eyman's estimated 314,000 signatures are valid. The check should be completed within the next few weeks.
Eyman and his backers have pushed through measures dealing with affirmative action, $30 car tabs, property tax limits, making it harder to raises taxes and fees votes in Olympia, and requiring performance audits of state and local governments and programs. I-1033 would cap the growth of revenue for state, county and city general fund.
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Secretary of State
Steve Hobbs
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