Gas tax foes turn in nearly double the signatures needed for ballot

OLYMPIA, Wash. — Foes of Washington's gas tax increase turned in the last of more than 420,000 signatures today, or nearly double the number needed to qualify Initiative 912 for the November ballot.

While the secretary of state's office still must verify that the campaign has sufficient valid signatures — roughly 225,000 are required — sponsors were confident that voters would get a chance to overturn the 9.5-cent-per-gallon increase passed by the state Legislature.

I-912 sponsors turned in nearly 190,000 signatures today, on top of about 232,000 on Wednesday.

Signatures poured in during the final hours, said Brett Bader, spokesman for NoNewGasTax.com, adding some people held on to their petitions until the last minute to get as many signatures as possible.

"It's been an avalanche," Bader said. His group only began collecting signatures about a month ago.

The first 3 cents of the increase kicked in last Friday atop the state's old 28-cent-a-gallon tax. The rest is scheduled to be phased in over the next few years: three cents in 2006, two cents in 2007 and 1.5 cents in 2008.

An ambitious $8.5 billion, 16-year transportation program would help finance "mega-projects" like replacing the Alaskan Way Viaduct in Seattle and building a new state Route 520 bridge across Lake Washington. It also would provide cash for hundreds of highway and bridge projects, rail, ferries and other improvements.

The level of early support for the initiative just means gas tax increase supporters will have to work harder, said Lily Eng, spokeswoman for Keep Washington Rolling.

"... We're going to have to get out there and work harder to explain to the public why this transportation plan is necessary for the state," she said.

Tax increase foes say the tax increase won't ease traffic congestion.

Eng responded that the increase isn't about easing congestion, it's about keeping roads safe.

If I-912 passes, it could put on hold a number of repairs for roads such as the U.S. 12 in Walla Walla, Eng said. The Alaskan Way Viaduct is structurally unsound and needs to be addressed immediately, she said.

"These projects are all in jeopardy" if the initiative passes, she said.

The gas tax foes aren't the only ones hoping they've secured a spot on the November ballot.

— Sponsors of Initiative 901, to ban smoking in and near bars, restaurants, bowling alleys, minicasinos, most hotel rooms and most other nontribal businesses, were hopeful after turning in more than 325,000 signatures Thursday.

— Tim Eyman's Initiative 900, which would give the state auditor the authority to study the effectiveness of state and local government agencies, has turned in more than 313,000 signatures.

— Two initiatives dealing with medical malpractice cases are already guaranteed a spot on the November ballot because their signatures were turned in last year.