More tolls, taxes -- and now, for the nature lover....

Due to Olympia's spending crisis, the state Legislature imposed a new fee to use public lands beginning July 1, 2011.

The fee come in the form of the new "Discover Pass," which costs $30 for an annual pass and $10 for a day pass (additional processing fees apply). This excerpt from the Discover Pass website lists what areas the pass applies to:
 

"The pass allows access to state recreation lands and water access sites managed by Washington State Parks (State Parks), Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR). These lands include state parks, water access points, heritage sites, wildlife and natural areas, trails and trailheads. The Discover Pass will be needed to access DNR’s developed or designated recreation areas, sites, trailheads and parking areas."

There are some exemptions for this pass. For a complete list, download "Do I Need a Discover Pass?" (pdf).

The Discover Pass is not required for holders of certain hunting and fishing licenses on WDFW recreation lands and water-access sites. For those individuals, a "WDFW vehicle access pass" will be required for vehicle access to WDFW lands and boat launches.
 
The penalty for failing to display/possess a Discover Pass is $99. The fine will be reduced to $59 if proof-of-purchase of the pass is provided to the court within 15 days of the violation notice.
 
For more information about this pass, please see the FAQ page on the Discover Pass website.

The Necessity of Initiative 1125

Initiative 1125 will regulate the big government politicians and bureaucrats so that money put aside for a special purpose can only be used for that purpose. Naturally, politicians and bureaucrats would prefer to keep the People out of government.

In these tough economic times, the idea of government taking thousands of dollars per year out of working families’ already-stretched budgets shows a complete lack of compassion for the challenges they are facing right now. People are hurting, and yet state and local politicians are nonetheless sneaking forward with below-the-radar “anything goes” tolls that will cost families billions of dollars.

If there's going to be tolls, there must be accountability and transparency or the toll should never be accepted by the citizenry. A toll, by definition, is a specific charge that is used to pay for improvements to a specific project imposed on the specific people using that project. Struggling taxpayers might, and we emphasize might, accept that. But “anything goes” tolls? Not a chance.

Last year's voter-approved I-1053 required tolls to be set by the elected representatives of the people. Recession-weary taxpayers might, and we emphasize might, accept that. But automatic tolls imposed by unaccountable, unelected bureaucrats at state agencies? Not a chance.

Taxpayers should never accept handing over a blank check to a bunch of unelected bureaucrats.

In the entire history of our state, tolls have always expired after the project is paid for. Olympia recently repealed that protection so that tolls will now continue forever -- once a toll is imposed, it will never go away.

There's no way the people of Washington will be OK with never-ending tolls. I-1125 reinstates our state's longstanding guarantee that once the project is paid for, the toll will go away.

As Kemper Freeman said: “Citizens are rightly suspicious of tolls because of a valid concern that Olympia will raid such revenues during 'emergencies.' That's why I-1125's policies requiring accountability and transparency are so necessary. Tolls aren't taxes and I-1125 keeps it that way.”

He’s exactly right.

Advocates for "anything goes" tolls are seriously out-of-touch if they think citizens will accept sky-high, automatic, never-ending tolls imposed by unelected bureaucrats without accountability and transparency.

Please help us continue the fight on behalf of taxpayers. Olympia's appetite for our money is insatiable.

-- Tim Eyman

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You'll hear many rants against I-1125, but they all revolve around the idea that government should control our money, lives and resources.

What makes bureaucratic judgment superior to our own? The bureaucrats don't care. Neither do the entrenched politicians. They just want to run our lives.

Voters Want More Choices. Legitimate government requires consent of the governed.

Seattle Referendum 1 (The Tunnel)

Seattle's Referendum 1 is the people's referendum on whether to build a toll tunnel under Seattle to replace the waterfront viaduct. The cost of toll tunnel is officially projected to be $6 Billion. If this projection is as reliable as most government projections, the actual price tag will be much higher.

Although everyone in the state will be paying for the tunnel, only Seattle will vote on it. A limited voice is better than no vote at all, except...

Even if the voters reject the tunnel by voting no on Referendum 1, it looks like the politicians are going to ignore the people's vote -- claiming voters just didn't understand -- and build the tunnel anyway.

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. Why do Washington State voters keep sending authoritarian politicians to Olympia to sneer at us and waste our state's resources?

As George Santayana said, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."

Can you believe there are politicians who still wonder why our initiatives receive so much support from the electorate?

Can you believe there are politicians who still don't understand why citizens are furious with Olympia's arrogance and audacity?

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See also Cascade Bicycle Club & Protect Seattle Now (the vote no organization).

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Referendum 1 passed with 58% of the vote. Apparently the voters like the tunnel idea.

Official King County election results for the August 16 primary link