Lawmaker Sees Problems With Eyman's Latest

GOVERNMENT 

By Austin Jenkins

Olympia, WA  January 3, 2008 10:34 a.m.

Washington initiative writer Tim Eyman has a new ballot measure proposal. He wants to tackle traffic jams.

Eyman proposes to take ten-percent of the tax raised from auto sales and put it in a special congestion relief fund.

But House Transportation Chair Judy Clibborn, a Democrat, says that would siphon money from education and other priorities.

Judy Clibborn: “You are taking money for teachers, money for prison guards and you're going to spend that on traffic congestion in the central Puget Sound area.”

Eyman's proposal would also require cities and counties to synchronize traffic lights. And he'd open carpool lanes to solo drivers at all hours except during the morning and afternoon commute.

Eyman needs more than 200,000 signatures to get his measure on the November ballot.

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