I think EXTORTION best describes Tim Eyman’s continued pursuit of his lawsuit against the City of Redmond, and here’s why.
The framers of our national Constitution struggled mightily with how to construct a government that would balance power among competing factions to ensure both “liberty and justice for all.” The result was that we pledge our allegiance to a republic, not to a democracy.
Nonetheless, Washington is among the states whose constitution allows citizens to use the initiative process as oversight of our legislature; used properly, initiatives enhance both liberty and justice.
Certainly, citizen petitions can play an important advisory role in local governments. They put local councils on notice when a decision runs contrary to citizens’ wishes. Councils ignore such advice at their own peril; they do have to answer to voters at two and four year intervals.
However, using initiatives in local jurisdictions would cause civic chaos. Trivial lawsuits would rise to a whole new level. Any group of disaffected fanatics could hold cities hostage. If repeatedly forced to pay either the costs of special elections or the costs of lawsuits, local decision making would be paralyzed and budgets bankrupted.
Four years ago Redmond voters got rid of an administration that was contentious, capricious, autocratic and fiscally erratic. Then candidates Mayor John Marchione, along with Councilmembers David Carson, Hank Myers and Hank Margeson ran for election on a platform to stabilize and professionalize Redmond city government and to make it more responsive to its citizens. They have more than delivered on their promises, and except for the retiring Council president Richard Cole, were reelected in last week’s vote.
As a “hired gun,” Eyman’s paydays come from creating and encouraging conflicts, not from finding solutions—extending the initiative process to local jurisdictions would make him a wealthy man at the expense of the rest of us.
Eyman doesn’t care that Redmond need not raise revenue from ticket fines, because we now have a transparent, priority-based budget process that puts our Department of Public Safety first. He doesn’t care that at Council direction, our budget is reviewed monthly and that city expenditures are currently five-plus percent below budget.
Eyman doesn’t care that the City Council voted to cancel the contract for red light cameras; he doesn’t care that the 6,000 signatures, indeed, played a role in their decision.
Eyman only wants what pays him first, which is conflict. To those who would employ his assistance: Buyer beware.
Sharon Hood, Redmond
