Another Eyman deception

Election time approaches, and as usual Tim Eyman is offering another “free lunch” special: Initiative 1033.

This measure would make it illegal to increase budgets for public services (police, fire, schools, health care or anything else) above today’s depressed levels. Additional revenues, should they magically appear, would be distributed as property tax rebates – a giveaway to fat-cat property owners, while ordinary folks, if they’re lucky, might get a couple of bucks knocked off their tax bill.

This stinker of an initiative would be bad enough in good times, but we’re struggling with the worst economy in 70 years. Last year, because of lagging state revenues, lawmakers made draconian cuts, including $1.5 billion for education. Libraries have been shuttered, and jails emptied to save money.

Such cuts don’t come out of Eyman’s mythical “fat,” the stuff he’s so sure is out there, somewhere. If Eyman’s measure is approved it would be illegal when times improve to increase expenses in order to reinstate curtailed services. Budgets would be trapped at Great Recession levels for years to come.

This is not responsible budget management. Free lunches don’t exist. Vote no on Initiative 1033.

Del Lusk

Spokane