The Columbian blows it: ‘No’ on Initiative 912

Like many of the more big time, well, “adult” papers of the area used to supporting any effort of expanding government and raising our taxes (Gee… is it time to start a newsprint tax?) the Columbian has dutifully followed suit with most of the media sheep in this state and come out in opposition to I-912, the gas tax repeal.

Like their larger brethren up north, the Columbian marginalizes opposition to this usurious tax increase by their all-too-typical name calling and belittlement.

They start by stupidly referring to opposition to this initiative as “reflexive,” people who engage in “pathological hatred” of tax increases, (Much like, I assume, the “reflexive, pathological love” for tax increases typical of the editorial board?) They foolishly tell us that this tax was “thoroughly vetted.”

The fact is that the Columbian editorialists, whoever they are, live in a huge fantasy.

A “thoroughly vetted” tax increase would not have resulted in the 2nd largest number of signatures ever collected for an initiative and the most ever collected in such a short period of time.

A “thoroughly vetted” gas tax would not have ignored the myriad problems this tax presents. A “thoroughly vetted” gas tax increase would have done away with the sales tax money laundering, the art requirement, the bogus emergency clause, the multi-billion dollar reapportionment to unknown projects, the dollars to ferries, light rail, county and city governments.

In fact, that tax increase was no more “thoroughly vetted” then the idiocy contained within this editorial slavishly supporting yet another tax increase, this time in addition to the highest gas prices we’ve ever known.

Congratulations to the Columbian for once again confirming how out of touch they are from the people of Clark County.







In Our View - 'No' on Initiative 912
Sunday, October 9, 2005
Columbian editorial writers

Reflexively shouting down viable solutions brought by people we elected will not fix transportation infrastructure problems in Washington state. That's essentially what has happened, though, with the emergence of Initiative 912 on the Nov. 8 ballot.

Its passage would be disastrous for Clark County, where 13 transportation projects valued at $244 million would be lost. That's why The Columbian strongly recommends a "No" vote on Initiative 912. (Ballots will be mailed on Wednesday, Oct. 19.)

Initiative 912 was drummed up in response to a 9.5-cent gas tax increase (phased in over four years) that will generate about $2 billion for statewide projects. Who made that costly decision? The people we elected to make tough calls: legislators. So often they are criticized for ignoring critical needs. But on this crucial issue, the lawmakers made the courageous call.

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