A year ago, the WA state Reps. were touting this guy as a possible gubernatorial candidate. Now they are trying to keep him hidden. And since this article was published, Eyman has announced publicly that he is broke and he needs contributions from people. Apparently, his alleged business was totally non existent. So much for Rep. integrity.......I am not impressed.
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Eyman emerges to tout initiative
By Andrew Garber
Seattle Times Olympia bureau
OLYMPIA — A feisty Tim Eyman returned to the public spotlight yesterday after a five-month absence, unrepentant and evasive.
The anti-tax activist confessed in February that he'd secretly taken a salary from campaign donations, sparking a raging controversy and a state investigation. The attorney general is taking Eyman to court, alleging he broke campaign-reporting laws. Eyman has said he did not break any laws.
He showed up at the Secretary of State's Office yesterday, along with several other leaders of Permanent Offense, to turn in signatures and promote the political-action committee's latest initiative, I-776. The measure would cut a local car-tab tax that helps finance Sound Transit.
A pack of television and newspaper reporters showed up, hoping the normally talkative Eyman would expound on his future and his past confession.
He was counting on the free publicity.
"The thing that's real exciting about the position that we're in is that all of you (reporters) are here today," Eyman said. "With notoriety comes a little extra attention, and I think it's been extremely beneficial to our campaign."
The state is suing Eyman for violating campaign laws by diverting campaign donations to his for-profit consulting business. Eyman in February revealed that he took about $45,000 in salary at the end of 2000 and had planned to take $157,000 more this year. He had said repeatedly that he wasn't profiting personally from the campaigns.
At the time of his confession, Eyman referred to his actions as "ugly and stinky and disgusting'' behavior. Then he disappeared, refusing to return phone calls or answer his front door.
On Monday, he broke his long silence with an e-mail portraying himself and the campaign as victims of business, labor, politicians and the news media.
"It has been the most ruthless, relentless, shameless, transparent effort to stop an initiative campaign in state history," the statement read.
Initiative 776
I-776 would limit state and local car-tab fees and taxes to $30 a year. Anti-tax activist Tim Eyman, a sponsor of the initiative, contends I-776 would fulfill the promise of $30 car tabs embodied in 1999's Initiative 695, his popular measure to repeal the motor-vehicle excise tax.
Although the Legislature reduced the state portion of the tab fee, local taxes — most notably the one levied by Sound Transit — drive the cost of tabs much higher in some areas. Opponents argue I-776 would badly hurt Sound Transit, which has been struggling with cost overruns on its light-rail project.
The tax levied by Sound Transit, 0.3 percent of a vehicle's value, costs $60 a year for the owner of a $20,000 vehicle and brings in about $57 million a year. Most of the rest of the agency's money comes from a sales tax of 0.4 percent that brings in about $200 million and would not be affected.
Then yesterday, Eyman went almost silent again.
Asked about the e-mail message, the attorney general's court case, his past confession or whether he plans to pay himself again using campaign funds, Eyman simply smiled and declined to comment.
Instead, he took repeated jabs at the media and at business and political leaders.
"To watch you all sputter and huff and puff with no real impact on the electorate is an illustration of the disconnect you have with the hopes, dreams and fears of the average taxpayer," he said.
"Work yourself into a lather if you want to concerning our efforts to limit taxes in Washington state — it makes no difference to me because to the average voter, you have all reached the point of near-irrelevance."
Although Eyman wouldn't comment on his role in the I-776 campaign, Mike Fagan, one of the campaign organizers, said Eyman would not be the lead spokesman. That job falls to Monte Benham.
Eyman, Fagan said, will be part of a team that will raise money and promote the measure.
"We're a team, and we've always been a team," Benham said. "We just changed our roles."
Subtle messages yesterday backed that up. Eyman was the center of attention for reporters, but he was the last person to speak at a news conference.
"When we say we're a team, it does look a little kooky when one of us doesn't show up," Eyman said. "This sends a message that the team is more unified than we've ever been."
Eyman said he's kept himself busy during the past few months raising money and meeting with individual supporters. "I'm running four miles a day and feeling good about myself," he said. "It's been a nice, quiet time."
With the petitions turned in yesterday, Eyman estimates the campaign has more than 250,000 signatures. He predicts that will be enough to get I-776 on the ballot. The measure needs 197,734 valid signatures of registered voters.
I-776 would limit the total cost of car tabs to $30 a year, which was the intent of I-695, also sponsored by Eyman. I-695, though passed by voters, was ruled unconstitutional, but the Legislature reduced the state portion of the tax.
State Sen. Darlene Fairley, D-Lake Forest Park, who opposes the initiative, said the campaign is probably bringing Eyman forward because it needs his notoriety.
When Eyman is out doing his thing, it creates a buzz, Fairley said. When he's gone, as in the past few months, "there's no talk out there," she said. "It's local issues, it's not Tim Eyman."
The magic went away when Eyman faded into the background, she said. "They put him out there to see if it can happen again. Unless he's proactive, it won't."
Andrew Garber: 360-943-9882 or agarber@seattletimes.com.
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