Eyman calls for supporter to pack chambers to offset "crazies bussed in from Seattle"
TACOMA – Initiative 976 sponsor Tim Eyman is calling on supporters to pack a meeting Tuesday as the elected Pierce County Council considers intervening in a lawsuit over the measure.
The meeting is at 3 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 10, in chambers at 930 S. Tacoma Way (10th Floor).
Eyman, now a candidate for governor, suggests arriving early to sign up to testify on the measure, which generally caps car license tabs and taxes to $30 for non-commercial vehicles.
King County Superior Court Judge Marshall Ferguson granted an injunction effectively putting the measure on hold. And last week, the state Supreme Court allowed the ruling to stand despite the conflict of interest in having an elected King County judge preside over a lawsuit filed by King County.
Eyman is crediting Pierce County Executive Bruce Dammeier for showing “tremendous courage and leadership" by calling for a vote to intervene. He is also looking for support from former state senator now Pierce County Councilwoman Pam Roach, R-Puyallup.
“That room is gonna be packed with pro-Sound Transit crazies bussed in from Seattle," Eyman said. "So it's really, really, really important that pro-$30 tabs, pro-976 voters how up in force.”
I-976 passed with 52.99 percent voter support statewide Nov. 5. It passed in 33 of 39 counties.
In Pierce County, 65.75 percent of voters favored the measure.
Pierce County is the second to take up a call for intervention.
Franklin County Commissioner Clint Didier attempted to have his county intervene last month.
But his colleagues on the three-member board paid only lip service to the 72.21 percent of county voters who voted in favor of the measure.
Neither Chairman Robert Koch nor Commissioner Brad Peck would second Didier's motion to intervene.
Didier later filed a personal motion to intervene, asking for a change of venue.
He later pressured Koch and Peck to support a resolution opposing I-976.
Peck refused to introduce such a motion and instead called for “consensus” to ask the Washington State Association of Counties to intervene.
The three commissioners unanimously agreed to ask the organization to intervene even though King County, a member, is among those suing to overturn the will of voter statewide.
I-976 remains in limbo until a court determines its constitutionality.
Roger Harnack is the owner/publisher of Free Press Publishing. Having grown up Benton City, Roger is an award-winning journalist, columnist, photographer, editor and publisher. He's one of only two editorial/commentary writers from Washington state to ever receive the international Golden Quill. Roger is dedicated to the preservation of local media, and the voice it retains for Eastern Washington.
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