OLYMPIA – The 2009 initiative season is officially under way.
Professional initiative promoter Tim Eyman of Mukilteo filed paperwork this morning for a measure to put a lid on how much money government takes in each year – and making it give property owners a break when it takes in too much.
“We’re saying government can grow. We let it grow at a rate voters will allow and voters can afford,” Eyman told reporters after filing at the Secretary of State’s office.
The measure would limit the annual growth of government tax collections into the general fund to the rate of inflation, he said. Any dollars collected over the cap would be transferred out of government’s main checking account and used to lower property taxes.
This measure would apply to cities and counties as well, he said.
Eyman held his 8-month-old daughter Riley Dawn while discussing the intricate measure that he termed a “reasonable compromise” enabling governments to take in more money each year just not too much more.
Once the measure is approved for circulation, Eyman and his partners, Jack and Mike Fagan of Spokane, will need about 241,000 valid voter signatures to get on the ballot. Deadline to file them is July 3.
Speaking to reporters this morning, Eyman dodged questions on how he’ll pay for the signature-gathering effort.
Last year, he did not have enough money from donors to pay all the costs of professional signature gatherers for his Initiative 985 so he got a loan and use his home as collateral to make up the difference.
Voters soundly defeated the initiative in November.
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