Eyman critics’ complaint claims tax activist misused contributions

SEATTLE – Critics of anti-tax activist Tim Eyman filed a complaint Thursday with the state Public Disclosure Commission, calling for an investigation into their allegation that Eyman misused contributions to a failed local property tax initiative.

The 16-page complaint alleges that Eyman spent more than $26,000 of campaign funds for Initiative 864 on a fund-raising letter for his personal compensation political action committee.

The complaint was filed jointly by TaxSanity.org, Taxpayers for Washington’s Future and Permanent Defense.

It also alleged that Eyman and his associates fraudulently solicited contributions to I-864, improperly reported certain donations, failed to report certain expenditures and failed to meet certain reporting deadlines.

Vicki Rippie, PDC executive director in Olympia, said staff had not had a chance to review the complaint as of late Thursday.

“Obviously we will do that in the next day or so and see if the complaint is sufficient. … We’ll move forward if that’s the appropriate course of action,’ Rippie said.

Eyman is best known for initiatives that provided property tax limits and $30 car-license tabs.

He got in trouble two years ago for shifting more than $200,000 in campaign contributions into a for-profit committee that he could tap for a salary. He was fined $50,000 and barred from ever being a campaign treasurer. He later paid his legal bills, including the fines, by collecting a legal defense fund of about $120,000.

Eyman did not immediately return a call for comment Thursday.

Eyman failed to gather enough signatures to force a public vote this fall on I-864, a plan to slash local property taxes.