April 13, 2010 5:16 pm

That didn’t take long.

The ink was barely dry on legislative leaders’ signatures on tax increases before opponents filed to start campaigning against them.

Initiative promoter Tim Eyman registered initiative measures to roll back new taxes on service businesses, beer, soda pop, bottled water, tobacco and candy, plus new limits on the tax exemption banks get on their home-mortgage earnings.

The timestamp on the faxed documents reads just after midnight, around the time lawmakers were putting the finishing touches on their budgets.

After a state approval process, Eyman would have to gather 241,000 signatures to get each measure on the November ballot.

UPDATE: Eyman told me he won’t pursue one of the seven taxes he originally targeted because the tax he really objected to was killed off in the legislative process.

Lawmakers shot down the idea of capping a tax exemption for banks’ earnings on home mortgages, so all that remains that Eyman’s initiative would repeal is a somewhat esoteric provision fixing a court ruling that widened the bank tax exemption.

Eyman said he had to start the process of drafting the initiatives early, when the bill’s contents were still in flux, to have it ready to file immediately. “As soon as you file, you start learning from the code revisers’ office what actually happened and what didn’t.”

Anyone following the process- a process Eyman has repeatedly demonstrated he doesn’t follow, or even understand- would have known that the mortgage interest deduction was not part of the package OVER A WEEK AGO! Eyman is an idiot- but not as foolish as those who blindly follow him.

Eyman is the little boy that cried wolf one too many times and got his fingers caught in the cookie jar. I’m pretty sure he grew up as one of those whiney, nerdy, tennis playin’ little silver spoon in the mouth privileged kids from somewhere like Kirkland or Bellevue. He just needs to shut the eff up

I wish Tim Eyman would just go away also – far away. I have registered an initiative to ban Tim Eyman from the State of Washington. I have now 999,000 signatures to get my measure on the November ballot. Hopefully he will move to Alaska and destroy their state with his ridiculous initiatives. There with Sarah Palin, Tim can finally find peace of mind and slowly disappear from society. Without these tax increases, how can our social programs stay afloat? How can we hire more police and firefighters? How can we keep our schools open and keep our good teachers? The tax on beer, soda, and candy is small price to pay. In fact it might help our children pay attention to their health and well being. In order to be fair to everyone; we must remember one important thing – we are all equal. Did you ever notice that it’s the rich who complain the most about tax increases around here? With that said, lets put down our differences and join together and make Washington the best state in America!

The initiative process is the only check we have on one party rule. When we have voted three times to limit tax increases to a 2/3 majority and the “ruling party” subverts the “will of the people” what choice do you have. The Democrats fail to address the billion dollars in reform identified by the auditor (a Democrat) and continue to spend more than they collect. I do not like initiative but I dislike the failure to govern by those that are returned to office despite their poor governance.

Wow, there sure are some brainwashed, gimmie-gimmie folks who don’t seem to fathom what this one party (D) rule in this state has done. Let’s use the power the state Constitution guarantees, i.e., the initiative process, and once again tell these bought and paid for politicians we will not stand by with our brains in neutral and let them continue to run this state into the ground even further…..just so they can keep their jobs.

We are very much in need of a balance in Olympia. Gridlock is not a bad thing when compared to one party rule for such an extended period of time.

The ink isn’t even dry and Eyman’s at it again, like a lawyer chasing an ambulance. He can already smell a payday on this one.

Eyman’s not very bright, but he’s figured out how to game the system and get his hooks into a bunch of idiots with money and of course his anti tax message appeals to the political neophytes. Too bad that some of these idiots actually think Eyman’s motivation is something besides lining his own pocket book.

Eyman doesn’t really care what happens just as long as he collects his $50,000+ fee. For Timmy, this is a good living – getting people to pay him to run initiatives (even with his sh#ty track record).

The initiative process is being used and abused by Eyman, it’s his cash cow. Even tree loving dumbsh#ts can’t deny this.

The initiative process wasn’t intended to be a money maker for some self centered egotistical schyster who hires people to help gather enough signatures to get his issues on the ballot. No, it’s intended to be reserved for the people as an independent, grassroots process where issues must generate a groundswell of popular public support before they are placed on the ballot. (Issues supported by big wealthy fat cat and out of state special interest groups who want to buy their way onto a ballot shouldn’t be trying to manipulate the process)

If the people truly want an issue adopted into law, then we shouldn’t need paid signature gatherers forging names from the phone book and a slimly watch salesman from Mukilteo taking a ‘salary’ every year to ‘organize’ a so called “peoples” campaign.

Eyman is nothing more than an arrogant, self centered SOB. You only need to meet him in person to find this to be self evident.

Both sides are very confused. Tim Eyman couldn’t care less about tax cuts or tax increases. In fact he needs the Legislature to reverse his irresponsible initiatives to make money.

He’s the highest paid politician in the country. Even more than the President. This is a money making venture for him and he depends upon outraged citizens who don’t think about what his initiatives do.

So if you’re an Eyman fan you should love this Legislature. You, and by you I mean Tim, needs this to make his business successful. This Legislature is going to make him rich regardless of what the voters think.

The invitation is still open Tim. You name the place for a debate and I’ll be there. UPS, PLU, Gig Harbor Chamber, whatever you want.

“The initiative process is the only check we have on one party rule.” And here, fool that I am, I thought voting on who represents us was that check…

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