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Anti-tax activist going after state's car tabs

Anti-tax activist Tim Eyman is going after the state's car tabs just as he did 16 years ago.
He filed an initiative that would make car tabs just $30 for all vehicle owners.

SEATTLE — "It's more expensive here than other states," confirmed driver Rose Nakao.

"This is a taxpayer emancipation act," Eyman said.

Eyman has sponsored similar initiatives over the last 15 years.

"If you're disgusted with your government and how incompetent they are, why are you giving them all this money?" Eyman asked.

A breakdown of one person’s car tab fees shows they pay $30 for licensing.
The biggest chunk goes to the RTA tax, which helps fund Sound Transit and to Seattle's transportation benefits district, which pays for things like road construction and maintenance.
Add in all the other fees - and the car tab can spike to almost $250.
 
Eyman's initiative would eliminate everything else, except the actual $30 license fee.
 
“When they add in the RTA tax and all that other stuff it gets a little spendy,” driver James Tracy acknowledged.
 
Rent is too expensive, living costs is expensive,” driver Fasil Teaa added. “$30 would be a good thing.”
 
But under Eyman's initiative, what would happen to local transportation projects that the fees pay for? Or Sound Transit? What would happen to existing projects? The budget shortfall it would create is unknown.
 
Even as he penned his name to the petition, Eyman didn't have those answers.
 
Drivers say they'd have to read the initiative's fine print.
 
“It's going to depend on whether I can justify it or not,” Tracy said. “What I really support is a state income tax,”
 
“I'd have look into more about what it’s about but it'd be a lot better than a hundred,” Nakao added.
 
Eyman needs more than 246,372 signatures to qualify this initiative.
He has to do it by July.

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