Initiative 912: Costing us already

Monday, October 17, 2005

SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER EDITORIAL BOARD

When it comes to Initiative 912, it turns out we're damned if we do and damned if we don't -- pass it that is. Even if the gas-tax-repeal initiative is rejected at the polls Nov. 8, the delay the initiative has brought in starting crucial transportation projects around the state will cost taxpayers $66 million.

Perhaps it's trickle-down from the profligate Bush administration, but I-912 spokesman and Republican operative Brett Bader refers to $66 million as "a few dollars." Bader's trying to argue that it's OK to lose $66 million to not "waste billions." Whether hundreds of road projects or the repair of failing bridges or replacement of the crumbling Alaskan Way Viaduct can be considered a "waste" may be a matter of debate. But the already wasted $66 million is not.

In his reporting on the costs of construction delays due to the initiative campaign, the P-I's Chris McGann raised another damaging post-912 prospect -- the loss of funding for a myriad of multimodal projects around the state.

The 16-year transportation package passed by the Legislature this spring called for funding $8.5 billion in projects. Increasing the gas tax by 9.5 cents over four years would raise about $5.5 billion of that. The state constitution requires that money to be used only for highway projects. In addition to the gas tax, the Legislature authorized other fees that aren't constitutionally tied to roads -- more than $3 billion worth -- in part to pay for rail and transit projects.

Here's the catch: I-912 would repeal only the $5.5 billion gas-tax increase, not the $3 billion in taxes and fees to support the multimodal projects.

But the state is not legally bound to spend the $3 billion that way. A governor and legislators faced with billions of dollars in suddenly unfunded priority highway projects would almost certainly turn to that untouched $3 billion. The list of funded multimodal projects would surely dwindle or die.

So, I-912 gets us coming or going -- no matter how we're coming or going.

Soundoff (Read 18 comments)
Tell us what's on your mind.


If Initiative 912 wipes out the $5.5 billion in new highway revenue, should the state fund what projects they can with the $3.3 billion in potential multimodal funding the initiative would not repeal?
68.5% Yes.	29.0% No.
2.5% Don't know or care.
Total Votes: 403