Initiative 985, the congestion-relief initiative, would force the state to spend any income from tolls that it collects on a state highway on that highway alone.

That requirement could actually make traffic congestion worse.

How? By moving drivers from toll roads onto non-toll roads.

For example, a high toll on a new Evergreen Point Floating Bridge across Lake Washington on state Highway 520 might make many drivers either go south to use Interstate 90, crossing Lake Washington on the Mercer Island floating bridge or go north to drive around the north shore of the lake.

Imagine the congestion on the alternate routes if tolls start on Highway 520.

I-985: A dishonest proposal

I-985 promoter Tim Eyman says that the initiative was based on last year’s performance audit of the state Department of Transportation. Some of it is, but much of it isn’t.

For example, the audit suggests tolls as a way to reduce congestion but says nothing about limiting the use of toll revenue.

Similarly, the initiative’s proposal to rob city revenue from red-light cameras seems to have no basis in the audit.

I-985: A red light is a red light

I-985 takes money from city red-light cameras for a state congestion-reduction account, but leaves other red-light-fine revenue alone. It’s as though the state were to take the revenue from speeders caught by radar but let cities and counties keep money when patrol officers stop speeders.

Violating red lights makes our streets unsafe. If a driver runs a red light, he pays a fine. Where the money goes shouldn’t depend on whether a patrol officer stops the violator or a camera snaps a picture of his car driving through the red light.

I-985: When are off-peak hours?

I-985 opens high-occupancy vehicle lanes at all times but 6-9 a.m. and 3-6 p.m. Monday through Friday. The other hours are considered off-peak hours, but anyone who travels regularly into Seattle or Everett knows that heavy traffic doesn’t end at 9 a.m. or 6 p.m.

A change for state auditor

Democratic state auditor Brian Sonntag has been a trusted state official for 14 years. I voted for him in 1996, 2000 and 2004, and in the August primary, but this fall I’ll vote for Republican Dick McEntee.

I can no longer support Sonntag because he has misused the power we gave him to conduct performance audits.

A performance audit is supposed to tell us whether an agency of state or local government is doing its job efficiently, but Sonntag has used that power to promote his own agenda.

He used the audit of the Department of Transportation not just to suggest efficiencies but also to suggest changes in policies.

Now, he is failing to speak out against a citizen initiative that claims to be based on his audit but really distorts it.

Evan Smith is the Enterprise Forum editor. Send comments to entopinion@heraldnet.com.