I- 976 passed; will it become law?

Voters across Washington passed I-976 by over 100,000 votes. The measure limits motor vehicle license fees to $30. In Skagit County, the measure is passing with 53.5% of the vote, with 800 ballots to be counted after Tuesday.

The measure may never become law, however.

If it does, Skagit County road maintenance will not be affected. “There will not be a direct impact on us. We are not reliant on license tab dollars to maintain county roads,” said Public Works Director Dan Berentson Friday. There may not be grants for large state projects in the future, Berentson noted.

King County, the City of Seattle and possibly Sound Transit plan to sue, challenging the constitutionality of I-976 and preventing it from taking effect. The initiative will be ruled unconstitutional if the state courts find it violates the “One Subject” section of the state constitution. I-976 has three aims: 1. Restrict local authorities to impose vehicle taxes and fees; 2. Limit vehicle license fees to $30; 3. Base vehicle taxes on Kelley Blue Book value.

The state supreme court struck down Tim Eyman’s I-1366 in 2016, another car-tab initiative, because it was not limited to a single subject.

Last Wednesday Gov. Jay Inslee responded. A news release stated he directed the Washington State Department of Transportation to postpone new projects. He asked other state agencies with transportation funds, including the Washington State Patrol and Department of Licensing, to defer non-essential spending. Inslee pledged to “meet Washington’s growing and urgent transportation needs,” working with legislators, agency leadership and stakeholders.

If I-976 becomes law, statewide $4.2 billion in revenue will be removed from transit projects in the next six years: $1.9 billion to the state and $2.3 billion to local governments, based on an analysis by the state’s Office of Financial Management.

While supporters spent almost no funds promoting the initiative, Keep WA Rolling spent $4.5 million to oppose it. Microsoft, the largest donor, contributed $650,000.

Referendum 88 losing

Tuesday evening Referendum 88, to allow I-1000 approving state affirmative action becoming law, was losing by almost 18,000 votes statewide, 0.8%. If rejected, restrictions will continue, preventing certain affirmative action policies in public employment, education and contracting.

Only 52.800 votes remain to be counted statewide after Tuesday, the secretary of state’s election website reported.

Election results must be certified by December 5.