Yes: I-900 will hold state, local leaders accountable

Published 9:00 pm Saturday, October 22, 2005

Are state and local governments spending our tax dollars as cost effectively as possible? No one can answer that question, not the press or the watchdog groups or the politicians themselves. Why? Because for more than 40 years, Olympia has blocked the state auditor from conducting independent, comprehensive performance audits to learn whether we’re getting the biggest bang for our multi-billion bucks.

We sponsored Initiative 900 this year to end that idiotic prohibition on the state auditor.

The attorney general assigned Initiative 900 this official description: “This measure would direct the state auditor to conduct performance audits of state and local governments, and dedicate 0.16% of the state’s portion of sales and use tax collections to fund these audits.”

State and local governments spend more than $40 billion every year, yet it’s illegal for us to learn if these revenues are being spent as cost effectively as possible. That’s absurd and I-900 changes that. I-900 provides the state auditor with substantial, stable funding – about $10 million per year – to independently investigate both the efficiency and the effectiveness of state and local governments, their agencies and programs. I-900 dedicates a tiny portion of the existing sales tax to fund this long-overdue reform. $10 million to ensure $40 billion is spent effectively? That’s a bargain.

There are more than 2,000 governmental entities in Washington – I-900 puts them all on notice. I-900 gives the state auditor the authority to examine any state or local government, agency, program or account. I-900 grants the auditor subpoena power to obtain all budgets and internal documents necessary for a full accounting. Savings will not only be realized from agencies audited, but from all state and local governments who realize that under I-900, they could be next. It’s called accountability.

Washington is the eighth-highest taxed state in the nation (www.taxfoundation.org) – I-900 keeps us from hitting No. 1. I-900 will identify wasteful, ineffective and unnecessary government programs and agencies, showing politicians how to reform government and prioritize spending without raising taxes. I-900 will change government forever.

Olympia’s last-minute alternative to I-900 isn’t even close – I-900 is the 900-pound gorilla. Olympia prohibited independent audits for more than 40 years, but when legislators saw the popularity and support for I-900, they frantically passed a weak alternative. Olympia’s version lets a “citizen” commission, all handpicked by Olympia’s politicians, decide who does and who doesn’t get audited – I-900 gives the state auditor that authority. Olympia’s version lets local governments off the hook – I-900 holds all levels of government accountable. I-900 provides stable funding – Olympia’s version doesn’t.

Opponents of performance audits from the past have learned that the voters support common sense reforms like I-900 and so they’ve thrown up their hands and accepted its likely approval by voters in November. But a hodge-podge group of local government officials and a public employee union president put together the voters’ pamphlet argument against I-900.

Their only objection is that I-900 is “unnecessary” because Olympia passed its own audit bill. But the lead sponsor of that legislation, Democrat Mark Miloscia, admits that he’s voting for I-900. He thinks I-900 is dramatically better than Olympia’s watered-down bill. So do we.

Hearing opponents complain about I-900’s cost is laughable – $10 million per year from existing taxes to ensure cost-effective spending of $40 billion per year? That’s a bargain.

We need I-900 to independently verify that taxpayers are getting the biggest bang for our multi-billion bucks. The Legislature’s alternative isn’t even close to the 900-pound gorilla, Initiative 900.

The initiative process is an invaluable opportunity for the average taxpayer to have an equal voice in the process. It allows us to hold our elected officials accountable and implement policies that would never stand a chance legislatively because of the self-interest of those in office. I-900 is a perfect example. Here’s a phenomenal chance to implement policies that will make tax increases unnecessary by forcing politicians to spend our existing taxes more cost effectively.

Anything but an overwhelming approval for I-900 by voters will be seen by politicians as support for business as usual. We’ve had 40 years of the fox guarding the hen house – it is way past time for ongoing, independent investigations of state and local governments’ spending of our tax dollars.

Taxpayers demand accountability. Please vote yes.

Tim Eyman is the co-sponsor of I-900 and heads up Voters Want More Choices (425-493-8707), a grassroots taxpayer-protection organization. For more information, visit www.i-900.com.