What part of $30 don't they understand?

WHEN we first proposed $30 vehicle tabs in January 1999, it was an unprecedented idea. Since then, voters have twice approved initiatives requiring $30 vehicle tabs and politicians promised they'd keep tabs at no more than $30. The vote was 84-13 in the House and 39-9 in the Senate. Gov. Gary Locke signed the legislation.

The arguments for $30 tabs are as applicable today as they were back then. Even with $30 tabs, we're already paying more than our fair share to own a vehicle in Washington.

Monthly vehicle payments are a huge part of our family budgets, as are bills for gas, insurance, parking, tires and repairs. We have to pay a huge sales tax when we buy our vehicles and a huge gas tax when we use our vehicles.

Paying a flat, fair and reasonable $30 per year is more than enough to register our cars, trucks, motorcycles, motor homes and other vehicles in Washington.

Big business, big labor, politicians and the press predicted the apocalypse if Initiative 695's $30 tabs were approved. The people were right to ignore their scare tactics. A Washington Policy Center analysis in January 2001, "I-695 One Year Later: The Sky Didn't Fall," illustrated that none of the initiative opponents' doomsday predictions came true.

Instead, governments did exactly what we predicted they'd do — they moved money around, utilized the state tax surplus, and prioritized spending.

We're facing a déjà vu decision this November with Initiative 917 (SaveOur30Tabs.com), our third effort to lock in $30 tabs. Many factors make the adjustment to I-917 and its repeal of vehicle taxes and fees above $30 a cakewalk in comparison:

• State tax surplus. In 1999, the state had a $1 billion tax surplus. I-695 returned that surplus back to the taxpayers.

This year, the state has a $1.5 billion surplus. The government overcharged us $1.5 billion. I-917 is the best way to refund those surplus dollars back to the taxpayers.

Such a huge surplus makes the transition to I-917's $30 tabs much easier.

• So-called"lostrevenue." I-695 cut taxes $750 million per year. I-917 involves $170 million per year. I-917's revenue impact is a quarter of the size of I-695's.

We would quickly add that there really is no "lost revenue" from I-917, because state and local governments shouldn't be imposing taxes and fees above $30 in the first place.

Voters passed I-695's $30 tabs in 1999. Politicians promised to keep tabs at $30 during the 2000 legislative session. Voters approved $30 tabs through I-776 in 2002. Gov. Christine Gregoire, as a candidate in 2004, repeatedly and unambiguously promised not to raise taxes.

The argument that no revenue will be lost from Initiative 917 is especially true for the $60 million a year that Sound Transit is collecting from a tax the voters explicitly repealed in 2002. I-917 stops Sound Transit from taking this money any longer.

Politicians will falsely claim Initiative 917 "costs" Sound Transit $60 million per year, but the fact is that by the time I-917 takes effect at the end of the year, Sound Transit will have confiscated, since the beginning of 2003, $240 million more than it was legally entitled to. It's a sham to talk about "lost revenue" from I-917. There isn't any.

• Affected spending. I-695 was the biggest tax cut in state history, but it affected less than 2 percent of government spending. I-917 affects less than 1 percent. I-917 is a drop in the bucket.

• State budget. During the time of I-695 debate, the state budget was $20 billion. Now it's $27 billion. The government has even more revenue to move around and prioritize in order to adapt to I-917.

• Other taxes. Since 1999, gas taxes are up 48 percent, sales taxes are up 30 percent, property taxes are up 20 percent and business taxes are up 28 percent. State and local governments are drowning in the dollars coming from taxpayers.

• State tax ranking. In 1999, Washington was ranked as the sixth-highest-taxed state in the nation. In 2006, we're ranked fourth, according to the Tax Foundation in Washington, D.C. The state's taxpayers are paying more than their fair share.

• Performance audits. In 1999, audits of state and local governments were illegal. Thanks to the voters' overwhelming approval of Initiative 900 last year, we'll receive long-overdue accountability and better bang for the buck from the $40 billion state and local governments spend annually. Performance audits will provide even more ways for government to effectively adapt to I-917.

Big business, big labor, politicians and the press are once again predicting death and destruction if voters approve I-917's $30 tabs in November.

But for the reasons listed above, their claims have even less justification and credibility than they did back in 1999.

Voters said $30. They said it twice. Thirty dollars means $30. Politicians should respect the voters' ballot-box decisions and keep their promises. Please support I-917 this November.