Comments on: Burien City Council Members Sharply Rebuke Tim Eyman’s I-1033

By: Joe Fitzgibbon

Joe Fitzgibbon — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 22:20:40 +0000

This is just another effort for Tim Eyman to line his own pockets with money from his wealthy sugar-daddies like Michael Dunmire, folks who will benefit BIG by shifting the burden of paying for government services away from property tax and towards sales tax.

I particularly object to Eyman using a statewide initiative to micromanage the finances of cities and counties around the state. Even if 1033 fails in King County and in Burien (as it likely will), both of those jurisdictions will be bound by its restrictions in spite of the wishes of the majority of the voters! Shouldn’t we let our local elected officials make decisions without the restrictions imposed on them by a greedy jerk in Mukilteo?

By: Kathleen Keene

Kathleen Keene — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 18:58:53 +0000

In response to Frumpledorf’s comment… This is NOT about raising taxes it is about recapturing the revenue we once collected. As the economy has tanked and people have lost their jobs or had their hours cut they have quite spending money…logical. The result is the city’s sales tax revenue is down. In normal times as the economy picks up, people go back to work and begin to spend money again, the city’s sales tax revenue goes back up. This allows us to replenish our rainy day fund, and restore services that were cut. Under 1033, as sales tax revenue goes back up that money goes to lower property taxes. It guarantees that we’ll be stuck in a 20% reduction of services forever…. unless, of course, the economy tanks even further then our base line goes down again.

This also applies to state revenue so the $9 BILLION deficit will continue and the cuts to schools, public health, health care for children, senior home care programs, infrastructure funding, Ecology, roads, etc. will be locked in place. It will be impossible to increase the rainy day fund, unless we cut school funding, etc. even further. Mr.. Zemke’s list list just a few programs we hold dear.

Please vote NO on I-1033,

Thank you.

By: Dale

Dale — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 18:05:56 +0000

Another example of why I am a libertarian rather than a conservative.
For sure I do not want a more efficient government.

I agree with Will Rogers when he said:
Be thankful weâ€™re not getting all the government weâ€™re paying for.

By: Lee Moyer

Lee Moyer — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 04:36:06 +0000

tim I-man is a master of the cheap shot. It is so easy to say cut taxes, cut the fat, make government more efficient, etc. You don’t have to jprovide real solutions. The result is a mass of situations like our ferry system. His $30.00 car tab initiative (don’t we all feel rich on the money we saved?) slashed the ferry budget and they were told to make do without cutting service. It sounded good. The only choice was deferred maintenance and keeping old boats. Suddenly several are forced out of service by the Coast Guard inspectors and no one remembers the initiative, they blame the ferry managers.
Like Bush’s tax cuts, he helps the rich but screws the average worker while claiming to save him money.

By: Frumpledorf

Frumpledorf — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 03:56:23 +0000

Nonsense.

We are in a recession. Eyman’s bill is right on. You do not raise taxes during a recessions, period. We have 17% unemployment in this country (including all of the people that the government doesn’t want to count who stopped looking), and capping tax increases is the right thing to do.

By: Steve Zemke MajorityRulesBlog

Steve Zemke MajorityRulesBlog — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 19:00:53 +0000

Spread the word and tell people to vote NO on Eyman’s latest scheme to pick your pockets for the wealthy. Because I-1033 is really a wealth transfer scheme, taking tax dollars paid by renters and others without property and using it to help pay the property taxes of the wealthy.

Here are some of the things your tax dollars go for now:

educating our children
providing health care for seniors and children
mental health services
repairing roads and bridges
keeping parks and libraries open
paying for police and fire protection
paying for courts and jails
cleaning up Puget Sound
providing clean water and clean air
sidewalks and bike paths
affordable public transit
emergency services
services for seniors and disabled
and the list goes on.

But here is what your tax dollars above Eyman’s recession level will go for if I-1033 passes:
paying property taxes
That’s all.
No restored or new public services.