Maybe I'm missing something, but I thought the taxes from car tabs, gasoline, excise tabs etc. was for the upkeep of our roads and highways. If my car tabs go to pay for something else (i.e. police, fire, and health care) then we need a more stable, dependable type of tax to support these necessary governmental functions. Having said that, I still think we have plenty of room to trim, despite what (I,m glad he's our) former governor may say or think.

-- Sig Landoe (slandoe@bentonrea.com), October 23, 1999

Answers

this kind of "money laundering," for lack of a better term, is done simply to maintain power. by hiding our money in a thousand different projects for every income source they are able to lay claim to such tragedies should we attempt to keep some of it. this helps them avoid the fact that it is THEIR JOB!! to make the necessarry re-allocations when so required. i am afraid to ask where alcohol, gas, and even parking meter revenues are going. do not believe these lies. if drastic results come from the passage of this bill it is SOLELY from the vindictiveness of our elected individuals at the loss of POWER!! they MUST be voted out if they will not do their job. they are ELECTED and can be UNELECTED. simply ask yourself why it is fine for the government to take 30% to 45% of your pay, but it is a tragedy to take 2% to 3% of theirs. then vote yes on I-695.

r. a. gallaway

-- richard a g (ragman88@yahoo.com), October 23, 1999.

I have been wondering that same thing. If all of these services are being supported by the MVT, then what did we do to pay for them when there was no MVT? Besides, everyone talks about cutting down those police, transportation services, etc... Is that really going to happen? I'm sure Gary Locke and his buddies can prioritize what's needed. Hell, I gotta choose between my car and going out. Which do you think I put my money into? Going out? Yeah, whatever. So if the govt. can't figure out where to cut some fat, I can give some suggestions. We can start with Safeco Field. As I recall that thing was voted down right? So what happened? That's $300 million right there. Even if I-695 passes, do you really think that we can limit taxes? They'll propose a 15 cent increase in the gas tax, we'll vote it down, they'll implement it using some obscure rule in the books anyways.

"UH, the law allows the governor to use the EMERGENCY OVERRIDE VETO to pass this tax increase, this power has been previously used to tear up treaties with native american tribes to take their land and commodities for the general public and shove them onto reservations. So obviously there is nothing you can do about it. So there!!!"

http://home.att.net/~seaguy112

-- Seaguy (seaguy112@hotmail.com), October 23, 1999.

This is one of those examples of people not paying attention to what is going on in government and then whinning about something that they didn't know was going on. Was the government hiding this information in a vast conspiracy to fund squishy liberal programs without the taxpayers' knowledge? Not exactly. You've been able to find out where pretty much every tax dollar comes from and where it goes from the comfort of your own computer for the past 5 years or so. That is, IF you really wanted to know.

The MVET has been around for 62 years, and for the first 40 years not one dollar went to transportation related projects. It was designed as a property tax to pay for public schools. It's really quite interesting seeing people blaming their own ignorance of this subject on the government. Tell me Sig, Richard, ever bother to thumb through the state budget or even one of the summaries that the government drafts specifically for the average citizen to look through? You know, that stuff that they post on the Internet for everyone to see. This board is full of "Look what wasteful program the government was trying to hide from us" messages followed by a link to a web site. Yeah, those slimy government types are so sneaky. Trying to pull one over on us by posting their secret plans on the Internet!

Get a grip guys. Sig, the gas tax is the only thing by law that is required to go towards road construction. Your mistake for not looking that up from the beginning. And just how "stable" of a tax do you need if one that's been around for sixty years doesn't cut it?

Sheesh, you guys want more say in how you are taxed, but you're too lazy to even look up how you're being taxed now. Maybe if this thing passes another law should be passed. If you don't know what the tax or fee does in the first place, then you aren't allowed to vote on whether it should be raised or cut.

Ignorance o

-- Patrick (patrick1142@yahoo.com), October 23, 1999.

Pat, You bring up a good point that Yes I am ignorant about where our tax dollars are spent. And it may or may not be true that car tabs were used to fund schools. So why are we paying property tax? I'll be the first to admit I'm an idiot when it comes to knowing what taxes provide for what program. I'm Mr. Joe Citizen just like you, I just understand they have collected more than it takes to run state government. They have a surplus. It's not their money. I've got mouths to feed. Are they more wothy or what?

-- Sig Landoe (slandoe@bentonrea.com), October 23, 1999.

so let me get this straight, when people let there "representative" goverment make decisions for them and they don't happen to keep up on all the spending decisions ( before the internet this must have been so easy....not ), they have no right to bitch. Then when they get tired of that of consecutive individuals don't seem to listen to their concerns, they get motivated and decide to get involved and find ways to make at least part of their voice heard ( budget cuts ), they are some how corrupting this wonderful system of ours. So which is it, take what crumbs are dropped, or start ensuring representative goverment means just that.

-- no chance (kingoffools_99@yahoo.com), October 24, 1999.

Pat:

I don't have to know where all my tax dollars are spent by the government to know that the over $600.00 I'm faced with spending next year for tabs is a monumental rip-off. Don't think so? Then pay mine. Yeah, I made the decision to buy a nice car, but like lots of people, I work hard and enjoy nice things. I'm also going to make the the decision to not be gouged by the state anymore and vote yes. Did you work for my money? Then what the hay are you doing telling me how I should spend it!?

In a nutshell, here are the four groups of people that will vote "NO" on I-695:

1. People who spend all their time on the internet writing manifesto's and researching how the state Gov't. spends every penny. Consequently, they probably own a 76' Datsun B210 and are only had to pay $30.00 this year anyway....

2. People and businesses who are afraid this law might cost them a job or directly affect their income. Folks, just remember these words that I once heard from and old boss of mine; "Don't look at this as a layoff, look at it as an opportunity...." Nobody is going to lose any jobs or have any services cut, but if they DID, and it continued to cost ME ridiculous amounts of money every year, well, I can only hope they recently updated their resume's. Sorry, I haven't attended my sensitivity training for a while.....

3. Politicians who are SCARED TO DEATH of giving-up the power to indisciminately tax the residents of Washington whenever they see fit.

4. People who have been brainwashed into actually beleiving that the Gov't can do more good with your money than you can. This last group are the poor souls who deserve to be pitied the most. All this money is going back into the State economy! Were talking a GREAT BIG HOT INJECTION OF MILLIONS OF $$$$$$!!!! And the really wonderful thing about it is this: YOU get to decide where.

I am interested in any other "NO" groups readers of this might care to identify. Happy Happy Happy Voting!!!!!

-- A Dwight (aldwight@mindspring.com), October 26, 1999.

Dwight,

Here's a group of "NO" voters you forgot:

The tens of thousands of Government workers that are being told by their bosses that they'd better vote no, or they'll be on the front line, come firing time.

There are so many State jobs and job titles out there -- most of them so vague, that even from the job title, you have no clue as to what they do. Those people are afraid, very afraid, of losing their cushy, non-essential jobs. And they should be. The "Assistant to the Assistant of the Whosywhats" is NOT an essential employee.

I'd bet my bottom dollar that the number of people who work for the State, at any level, who will vote FOR I-695 is less than 8%.

-- Diane (SSSTANG@aol.com), October 28, 1999.

Diane:

I receved a nice E-Mail from Sig, the person who originally posed the question that we are resonding too here. He agree's with my assessment of the "NO" voters, AND he is a Union Worker for a Govt. contractor, which is heartening. But I think you are correct--I think Sig is a definite statistical anomoly (bless his heart). There are so many ironies about this whole initiative that it amazes me sometimes. These people will have to pay that tax just like the rest of us. It's like a small town cop putting on a hood and robbing a convenience store when things get too slow for too long.

-- A Dwight (aldwight@mindspring.com), October 29, 1999.

Here is a TOP TEN list of those who are for I-695.

1. The PARANOID. They see mystical entities called "government", "special interests groups", "lobbyist", etc., all of which have only one goal in mind - to get them and their money!

2. The DON QUIXOTE. Goes off "tilting at windmills" thinking that they are monsters.

3. The ISOLATIONIST. They think that they live in a society of one - themselves. If they personally don't benefit, then it must be BAD.

4. The COUCH POTATO. They sit on their backside all day long complaining, but refuse to get up and work within the system to obtain their goals.

5. The DISENCHANTED. They want to "tip over the game board" because they didn't get their way the first time.

6. The MESSENGER. They are sending a message that has already been sent. 7. The DREAMER. They think that only the "bad" stuff will go away.

8. The MONEYGRUBBER. They can't see farther than their wallet.

9. The SURGEON/BUTCHER. They think that you can remove a tumor with a cleaver.

10. The "KEEPING-UP-WITH-THE-JONES". They see something nice somewhere else, and want to get it with little care for costs or consequences.

Frankly, by some of the posts that I have seen for I-695, I'm amazed that some of these people have stayed around here for so long!

-- Not Letterman (No@way.com), October 29, 1999.