Here we again — Legislature bringing back hated car tab taxes
Anti-Tax Activist Tim Eyman Blasts Car Tab Tax Proposals In Olympia
Northwest News Network | Feb. 25, 2013
OLYMPIA, Wash. – He is synonymous with keeping Washington car tabs at $30. Now anti-tax initiative sponsor Tim Eyman is fired up again. He testified in Olympia Monday against a series of proposals to allow local transportation districts to impose higher vehicle taxes.
Eyman says even Seattle voters have demonstrated a scorn for car tab hikes.
“With every vote that’s ever been had on higher car tab taxes at the ballot, the voters find this a completely radioactive unacceptable revenue source. And yet instead of accepting that decision you’re allowing local governments to cheat and take the money anyway.”
Eyman sported a green $30 car tab shirt as he testified. Over the years, Eyman has sponsored numerous ballot measures to limit car registration fees. However, city council members from Kirkland and Tacoma testified that their communities have backlogged transportation needs and not enough money to pay for them.
— END —
Here’s an excerpt from my testimony against the litany of bills that bring back hated car tab taxes:
In 1999, Initiative 695 set car tabs at $30 per year and required voter approval for any tax and fee increase. It got 56% of the vote.
In 2002, Initiative 776 repealed various vehicle charges exceeding $30 per year — CHARGES IMPOSED BY LOCAL GOVERNMENTS — and said any increase in vehicle charges needed voter approval. It got 52% of the vote.
In 2007, voters passed Initiative 960, 2010 they passed Initiative 1053, and 2012 they passed Initiative 1185 with almost 2/3 of voters approving.
In all of those votes by the people, where exactly do you get the impression that voters want higher taxes, especially increased car tab taxes?
Every single local government that has put a car tab tax on the ballot has failed — the voters have rejected every single one. Most recently, Seattle voters in 2011 — people who almost always OK higher taxes — absolutely crushed a proposal to raise car tab taxes.
Car tab taxes are a radioactive revenue source, worse than the dreaded state income tax. The people hate it for the same reason politicians love it: it’s imposed on an artificially inflated value of a vehicle — MSRP. That allows governments to tax a car purchased for $10,000 at $20,000. Or a $5000 car at $10,000. It is a totally corrupt tax, the people know it and will never accept it again. But that’s exactly what these bills do: take us back to pre-695 car tab taxes. It is arrogant and it is unacceptable.
On behalf of the voters who approved all these initiatives, I ask that you vote no on these bills.