|
Printer Friendly |
No laws in U.S. curb government as I-695 would
No laws in U.S. curb government as I-695 would
Closest parallel might be in Colorado, but that 1992 measure is more limited
David Wickert; The News Tribune
More than two decades after Californians sparked a nationwide tax revolt with
Proposition 13, Washington voters in November will consider the latest - and
in some ways most restrictive - plan to limit the ability of governments to
raise taxes.
With a few exceptions, Initiative 695 would require voters to approve any
tax or fee increase proposed by state or local government. That covers everything
from property and sales tax increases to library fines and school lunch prices.
Other states, most notably Colorado, have adopted tough measures requiring
voter approval of various taxes. But none is as sweeping as I-695, which also
would repeal the state's progressive vehicle tab system and replace it with
a flat $30 annual registration fee.
Initiative sponsor Tim Eyman said his measure would put an end to "death by
a thousand taxes" without disrupting public services. He cites the experience
of Colorado as evidence.
But opponents say I-695 goes far beyond Colorado's "Taxpayer Bill of Rights"
and would lead to too many elections, voter fatigue and poorer government services.
"How will people begin to keep track of all the fees that would have to be
raised in the City of Tacoma?" asked Mark Funk, spokesman for the No on Initiative
695 campaign. "This really turns on its head the way we've governed ourselves
for the last 150 years."
Through the initiative process, voters have been turning the politics of taxes
on its head since California voters approved Proposition 13 in 1978. It cut
property taxes and limited future increases. It also required a two-thirds "supermajority"
of the Legislature for other state tax increases.
Proposition 13 prompted other states to adopt similar limitations, often imposed
by voter initiative. According to the National Taxpayers Union, 27 states now
limit government taxing or spending in some way, including Washington, with
approval in 1993 of Initiative 601. I-601 limited increases in state spending
under a formula linked to inflation and population growth.
In 1992, Colorado voters adopted arguably the country's toughest tax restriction.
State and local taxes there are subject to voter approval, and growth of government
spending is tied to inflation and population growth.
Opponents of Colorado's "Taxpayer's Bill of Rights," known as
TABOR, feared blanket voter rejection of tax increases and predicted widespread
cuts in government services. But after seven years, that has not happened.
According to the Denver Rocky Mountain News, voters since November 1993 have
approved 533 of 698 TABOR-related ballot issues, or 76 percent.
However, voters there have repeatedly rejected requests for statewide tax
increases, indicating a preference for local government spending.
Ken Bueche, executive director of the Colorado Municipal League, said voters
have favored tax increases for specific projects like road improvements, rather
than general government expenditures.
Bueche said elected officials probably have been more selective about proposing
tax increases. And he acknowledged that grim predictions about TABOR were overblown.
But Bueche said the measure's full impact has not been felt because Colorado's
economy has been booming for several years.
"One of the things people are waiting for is what happens in a down economy,"
he said.
Douglas Bruce, an activist and
TABOR's chief advocate, dismissed such concerns.
"It's like Chicago Cubs fans who keep saying, 'Wait till next year,'" he said.
Bruce believes TABOR has made government "more responsive and more respectful
of the citizens." And he resents the implication that "voters are too stupid"
to understand complex tax issues.
"It really is a question of who is in charge," Bruce said. "Who should decide
how much government we can afford - we, the people, who have the money or the
government that spends it?"
In Washington, I-695 author Eyman speaks with the same populist fervor as
Bruce. Taxpayers, he says, feel helpless, while politicians have become territorial
with public money.
"People have this instinctive belief that if you're going to take my own money,
would you please have the decency to ask me first," he said.
Eyman cites Colorado's experience as evidence that I-695 will curb future
tax increases without disrupting public services.
But opponents say I-695 is more sweeping than the Colorado's measure.
The Washington initiative would require voter approval for all state and local
taxes and fees, except college tuition and criminal and civil penalties.
Colorado does not require voter approval for fees for public services. In
fact, Colorado voters rejected in 1990 a TABOR-like initiative that included
voter approval of all fees.
That distinction is important, said Wenatchee City Administrator Gary Tomsic,
who until 1996 was manager of Gunnison County, Colo.
"It was very difficult to put budgets together and plan for the future," he
said. "It probably wasn't as difficult as it's going to be with 695."
I-695 opponent Funk said there is no valid comparison between I-695 and Colorado's
TABOR.
"No other state in the nation would have a system like the one we'd be operating
under," he said. He predicted more elections with more ballot issues and, ultimately,
less voter interest.
"It's hard for me to imagine the public going to the polls every other month,"
he said.
If recent history is a guide, local voters would find plenty to consider at
the polls.
For example, Tacoma has raised property taxes, utility rates, building and
inspection fees and hotel/motel taxes in recent years. Federal Way has raised
property taxes, building and inspection fees, gambling taxes and hotel/motel
taxes.
Puyallup has raised property taxes, parks and recreation fees, building and
inspection fees, sewer rates and cemetery fees in recent years. And University
Place has raised property taxes, recreation fees, utility taxes and building
and inspection fees.
All of these would have been subject to voter approval had I-695 been in force
when they were adopted.
In addition to cumbersome elections, Funk believes I-695 would result in delayed
maintenance of public facilities and less money for services like health care
for the poor.
Eyman believes I-695 will force politicians to prioritize. But he said voters
would automatically reject tax increases only if too many are proposed.
Just as in Colorado, Eyman expects Washington officials to be selective with
the tax and fee increases they propose. And he believes voters will be more,
not less engaged.
"There's no doubt the voters will be asked to decide more," he said. "But
I think people want that kind of involvement."
Peter Sepp, vice president of communication at the National Taxpayers Union,
sees initiatives like I-695 and Colorado's TABOR as healthy examples of citizen
participation. And he believes they are the vanguard of a new wave of tax revolts
nationwide.
Lance LeLoup, a political science professor at Washington State University,
disagrees. He said I-695 is more indicative of voter disgust with a particular
tax, rather than taxes generally.
"I don't believe this is any big national tax revolt," he said. "I think this
has come onto our ballot because our car taxes are so expensive."
- - -
* Reach staff writer David Wickert at 253-274-7341 or david.wickert@mail.tribnet.com.
© The News Tribune
10/14/1999
