Legislator seeks public highway vote

By David Ammons

Associated Press

OLYMPIA — Washington lawmakers should pass a multibillion-dollar highway finance plan within two weeks of convening and place it on the statewide ballot in March for a quick verdict from voters, the Senate Republican leader said Thursday.

Democratic Gov. Gary Locke and Senate Majority Leader Sid Snyder, D-Long Beach, welcomed Sen. James West’s call for quick action, but not the request to send the tax package to the ballot.

"The governor is confident it will be handled quickly, here in Olympia," Locke spokesman Pearse Edwards said.

However, West’s views were seconded by a key Democrat, House Transportation Committee chairwoman Ruth Fisher, who said "reality is setting in" that a public vote will be required. She agreed with West that the only way to get a tax package through the House is by agreeing to send it to the ballot.

The Legislature convenes Jan. 14.

West made his suggestion in a letter to the governor, who has insisted since last May that lawmakers approve the package, rather than subject it to the delays and uncertainty of a campaign.

Locke wants $8.5 billion for state projects and authorization for central Puget Sound counties to ask local voters to approve taxes that could pay for an additional $5.1 billion in road work. His state plan would include a 9-cent increase in the 23-cent-a-gallon gasoline tax, phased in at 3 cents a year.

West, a veteran lawmaker from Spokane, said he has never insisted that the package go to the ballot, but that new "political realities" make it mandatory.

Voters have clearly indicated they want to vote on new taxes, and anti-tax activist Tim Eyman has said he would mount a referendum campaign to force a vote if lawmakers try to handle the issue solely in Olympia, West said.

"I am merely recognizing a growing — and inflexible — political reality which we all, like it or not, are going to have to face," West said.

If lawmakers try to cut out the voters, "we miss another construction season and control of the situation" because there will be a public vote anyway, he said.

Recent talks with legislative leaders make it clear that it is "utterly impossible to pass anything through the House, where a package will likely start, without sending it out for a vote of the people," West said. "There are similar sentiments in the Senate, on both sides of the aisle."

West suggested that lawmakers act quickly, passing a package of efficiency and accountability bills, "strong and balanced" state and regional construction plans, and a tax referendum that has broad bipartisan backing.

He urged passage of the entire package by Jan. 25, the deadline for creating a statewide election on March 12. The Legislature would still be in session in March and could respond to what the voters do.

Snyder said he’s holding out for legislative approval, but conceded that if the House indeed can’t pass a package without the statewide vote, then the Senate will have to reassess.

He said he’s still waiting for a signal from business leaders that they can’t muster enough House votes for adopting the plan in Olympia.

"If that’s the case, it would be extremely disappointing to me," he said. "It may be the politically expedient way to go, but we put the economy of the state of Washington in great jeopardy in doing so.

"If the voters reject what goes on the ballot, I don’t know when the Legislature would have the intestinal fortitude to pass something when the voters have already said no. Our economy is so dependent on starting a fix of our transportation mess that we could find ourselves in a recession for many months, if not years."

Locke said he was "confident we can develop a responsible program that gets our state moving again."

The governor said he shared West’s "sense of urgency that we take immediate action to address Washington’s growing transportation problem."

"What better way to help working families than passing a transportation plan this session that will put over 20,000 people to work beginning this summer?" Locke said.

Fisher, though, said there aren’t enough votes in Olympia to adopt a plan without the public vote, despite her own personal willingness to do so. Chopp and some other members of her Democratic caucus support a public vote, she said.

As she has before, she suggested placing a 4-cent gas-tax increase and possibly a trucking fee increase on the spring ballot. If the voters approved it, she would then advocate legislative approval of another increment, possibly another 4 cents.

Copyright ©2002 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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