For whom the Sonntag tolls

Historically speaking, I’m not a Tim Eyman fan. I’m a lefty, after all, and in the past I’ve often found myself at odds with the controversial former watch salesman turned initiative pusher from Yakima. I was expecting to have my typical skeptical reaction to Eyman’s antics when I discussed his latest effort, I-985, with him over the phone earlier this week.

Strangely enough, that didn’t happen.



I-985 is an initiative designed to reduce congestion, and (more importantly to Eyman) enforce I-900, which Washington voters passed in 2005 and gives State Auditor Brian Sonntag authority to conduct widespread performance audits on state and local governments to make sure government is running effectively and efficiently. One of the major audits Sonntag has performed was on the Washington Transportation Departments handling of congestion. Sonntag concluded in 2007 that reducing congestion was not a top priority of the Transportation Department, and he offered several, seemingly small steps the department could take to better serve the people of Washington.

These recommendations were met with resistance in Olympia.



What I-985 will do, if passed, is implement Sonntag’s suggestions for reducing congestion in Washington. These suggestions include synchronizing stop lights and opening HOV lanes to everyone during non-peak hours. While that may seem minor, the benefits would be seen immediately, as opposed to 20 or 30 years down the road. The initiative also creates a “Reduce Congestion Account,” taking approximately $128 million per year from the general fund and dedicating it to reducing congestion.



Additionally, I-985 prohibits the government from spending tolls collected from Washington motorists on anything but the roadways where those tolls were collected — or depositing the money into the reduce congestion account. This flies in the face of the recently passed House Bill 1773, which in layman’s terms allows “tolls to be imposed on anything and spent on anything,” according to Eyman. 



“The major advantage we have this year is Brian Sonntag,” says Eyman.



“In the past there’s been a credibility gap, where people have viewed the initiatives I’m involved with as my idea. This time it’s not my idea. These are Sonntag’s recommendations. When the voters of Washington pass this initiative Olympia will be forced to do something with them.”



I may not be a huge supporter of Tim Eyman, but I am a Brian Sonntag fan. He’s an objective public servant who’s consistently done his job for Washington taxpayers. While there’s still plenty of room to debate all the possible implications of I-985, implementing Sonntag’s simple suggestions seems like a no-brainer, at least to this lefty.  — Matt Driscoll

Say bye to their health care

Tacoma-based Community Health Care has announced plans to cut staff in the face of declining revenues and increasing economic uncertainty. Plans include laying off 11 employees and closure of the agency’s children’s dental clinic, according to a company announcement.



Community Healthcare is a large part of Pierce County’s healthcare safety net for people without insurance and those lacking sufficient income to pay for services on their own. Similar healthcare organizations  are suffering from years of declining Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement rates, static federal grant allocations and ever-increasing demand for healthcare by people who are left out of the system.



“We help people regardless of whether they can pay,” says spokesman Robert Kinch.



“We receive a federal grant that is supposed to make up the difference, but it doesn’t always.” — John Herbert