Tim Eyman Declares War on Sound Transit

Choo Choo: Eyman’s initiative would wipe out the amount of funding it would take to expand to West Seattle and Ballard. KELLY O

Antitax initiative-monger Tim Eyman has declared war on Sound Transit. While his latest offering, Initiative 1421, doesn’t mention the words “Sound Transit,” Eyman’s intent is clear.

Eyman didn’t return requests for comment for this story, but on the website for his organization, Voters Want More Choices, you’ll find this: “Seattle-centric Sound Transit is going to try to impose $15-$25 billion in additional taxes this year—our initiative derails that,” the site reads. “Bring Back Our $30 Car Tabs throws a much needed monkey wrench into what they’re calling ‘ST3.'”

The initiative would cap car-tab fees at $30 statewide. Today, those fees vary across the state and are higher in Seattle and the surrounding area because of an added fee that helps fund Sound Transit. In the proposal for the next expansion of light rail, Sound Transit 3, car-tab fees (known as the motor vehicle excise tax or MVET) become even more important. They would contribute $6.9 billion—or a quarter of the new taxes proposed for ST3.

“That’s the equivalent of both the West Seattle and the Ballard lines,” says Shefali Ranganathan, executive director of Transportation Choices Coalition, the advocacy group that will run the campaign for ST3. “That money would be wiped out.”…