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I-695 backer irked by Metro polling
I-695 backer irked by Metro polling
County says transit survey on impact of initiative is routine; car-tax measure's
sponsor calls it illegal (South King County Edition)
David Quigg; The News Tribune
The next phone call you answer just might be from a pollster hired to ask
you how officials should patch the hole that Initiative 695 would put in King
County's transit budget.
John Wilson, chief of staff for County Executive Ron Sims, confirmed Tuesday
that a county-hired firm is surveying 400 Metro Transit riders and 400 nonriders
on various contingencies contemplated if the car-tax-slashing initiative passes
Nov. 2.
I-695 would cause estimated first-year losses of $106 million for the transit
agency, according to the county.
The phone polling is just the latest variation on a strategy being employed
by government agencies around the region, particularly by public transit agencies.
Banned by law from actually campaigning against I-695, governments are asking
on a massive scale for public input on how to cope with the ballot measure's
aftermath.
Along the way to getting the input, government gets to make sure that citizens
learn the potential specifics of that aftermath.
Tim Eyman, I-695's sponsor, said King County's survey amounts to "push polling"
- a campaign tactic that gained notoriety in 1996 presidential race. In such
a poll, survey takers use loaded questions to manipulate or "push" the people
they interview toward a desired response.
"It's sleazy when you're using campaign dollars, but it's illegal when you're
using taxpayer dollars," Eyman said.
That's not what the phone polling is about, Wilson said.
"It is not a political survey," he said. "We vetted this very carefully to
try to make sure that it doesn't have any loading to it. We've sort of ended
up with the Jack Webb survey: Just the facts, ma'am."
Wilson said Tuesday evening he did not have the survey script on hand to release
it to The News Tribune. He said the county won't hesitate to provide a copy,
however.
"We've got nothing to hide here," he said.
The survey language passed muster with the county prosecutor's office and
the state Public Disclosure Commission, he said.
Neither office could be reached to confirm that Tuesday evening.
Even if the agencies signed off, Eyman is not impressed.
"There's no doubt that every government agency dislikes I-695," he said. "They're
all in bed together, and we're confident the voters will see it for what it
is. And that's illegal activity with taxpayer dollars."
It's anything but, Wilson said.
State law bars the use of public resources in political campaigns. However,
government officials can inform its citizens about a ballot measure's impacts
as long as they don't exceed their normal public outreach efforts.
Wilson said Metro routinely surveys its riders on proposed changes to service.
It is using the same polling firm it usually does and only conducting slightly
more than its standard number of interviews, he said.
Eyman called the notion that government agencies are sticking to standard
procedure laughable. But he expects no letup in public outreach efforts until
the election comes and goes.
"It will be interesting to see if this is just an isolated case or if this
is going to go on in counties throughout the state," he said.
By eliminating the motor vehicle excise tax and setting a flat $30 fee for
vehicle registration, I-695 would cost state and local governments $743 million
next year.
That is money that pays for local law enforcement, bus service, health departments,
highway construction and other programs.
For King County alone, I-695 would mean estimated first-year losses of $106
million for Metro Transit, $10 million for the Seattle-King County Public Health
Department and $5.8 million for assorted agencies responsible for criminal justice
services, Sims and other county officials have said.
In addition to Metro's efforts, Pierce Transit has scheduled 18 public meetings
and has distributed 25,000 questionnaires seeking feedback from riders, saying
it may have to cut service by 25 percent if I-695 passes.
Community Transit in Snohomish County, meantime, has scheduled 26 public meetings
to describe service cuts.
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* David Quigg covers King County government. Reach him at 206-467-9845 or
david.quigg@mail.tribnet.com.
© The News Tribune
10/06/1999
