You need to make a decision soon about how to vote on Initiative 1033. The absolutely clear answer is to vote NO! In voting no, you will be joined by those who took the time to read the details of this latest attack by Tim Eyman on vital services to our community.

I-1033 purports to cut government spending by capping the amount of taxes that cities, counties and state can collect at the 2009 recession rate and returning that amount to property owners (the free lunch). This looks like a great deal unless you actually think about the logic of it: is there really a free lunch here? Further, the joke is on those that vote for it because they are simply continuing a full-employment plan for Eyman.

Everyone wants less taxes. However, when it comes to personal needs and interests, most think government should be increasing services. Many want better police protection, fire protection, roads, transit, environmental protections, parks, smaller class sizes, better teacher pay, children’s health programs, senior housing and care, help for the unemployed and homeless, better colleges, bicycle lanes, pedestrian trails, community centers, arts programs and on and on. These cost money. It is easy to say that those things important to us should be funded, while those things that we don’t directly use should not. When you have children in school, funding is very important. When they graduate, does that mean you now vote against all funding for them? You might happen to have a great job. Does that mean you should vote now to oppose every program that helps the homeless, disabled, unemployed, seniors and provides free lunches and medical care to children who would not otherwise have it?

All services that affect you, your family and community will be needlessly damaged in some way by I-1033.

For some, voting for Eyman’s initiatives are a vote against politicians. The Web site of a candidate for a local public office states “Governments have grown corrupt”. As one who has served my community for many years, I am deeply offended. It is simply not true. The reality is that most that serve in various governmental bodies are your neighbors who are simply trying to help their communities. These politicians take time that could be spent with their families to carefully study every issue, spend time in endless public meetings (that the public demands) and then try to make the best decisions that help our communities. This is for very little or no financial compensation. Sure there are exceptions, but they are a very small minority. Anti-government initiatives churned out by Eyman are not an assault on politicians, who gain little by serving, they are an assault on you, your family and your way of life.

Lastly, the initiative system in Washington has been hijacked. It has been subverted to create an actual business of churning out costly initiative elections that the rest of us pay for. A few early ones sounded good to a majority and passed at a time of deep governmental distrust. The damage continues to this day. For example, are your roads awful? If you voted for cheap car tabs, you pulled funding for roads. Most of these business initiatives by Eyman, thankfully, have failed. It is time to shut down this business and stop being the butt of the joke against you, the voter. Your vote NO on I-1033 will be a vote against this private business and for the reality that there is no such thing as a free lunch when it comes to vital services.

Wayne Snoey is a City Councilman for the city of Covington.