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Politics & Government

Point (and Poll): Vote For I-1125

City Councilman Mike Cero weighs in on why he's voting for I-1125, and why you should to.

I would like to give reasons for supporting Initiative 1125, "Protect Gas Taxes and Toll Revenues Act - Protect the 18th Amendment to Washington's Constitution." Tolls on Interstate 90 are a major issue that will have significant implications to Islanders. As I mentioned at the recent candidates’ forum, Mercer Island is a great community. We can make improvements around the edges, but generally speaking, my vision for Mercer Island isn't too far from where we are. I believe tolls on I-90 will challenge many of the basic assumptions making Mercer Island such a wonderful place to raise children and to age in place.

The Council has made statements opposing tolling on I-90.  In a Sept. 26, 2011 letter to WSDOT Toll Division Director Craig Stone and cc'd to Representative Clibborn, Senator Litzow and Secretary of Transportation Hammond, our Mayor wrote that our "City Council continues to oppose tolling of any kind on I-90 between I-405 and I-5." I think Initiative 1125 supports that desire by limiting potential I-90 tolls in scope and duration.

Tolls on I-90 are in direct conflict with Mercer Island's quality of life. That which limits tolls is in the best interest of Islanders. Why are tolls bad for Islanders? Inexpensive access to Seattle and Bellevue services and facilities is an important selling point of the Island. We can talk about buying local, but the fact is many services we demand are not locally sustainable. Inevitably, our civil service and teacher contracts, negotiated under the shadow of tolls, will carry a "toll premium." This premium, above COLA and other salary step increases, will translate to higher property taxes. Meanwhile, the specter of I-90 tolls will have a depressing or negative tendency on home values.

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I-1125 keeps an I-90 toll from becoming an open ended revenue source for many yet to be defined projects.    Washington has a long and successful history of financing road projects from which it was collected. Like many successful road projects, I-1125 will limit I-90 tolls to I-90.  As an Islander, I could endorse a finite I-90 toll to finance I-90 capital projects. Pay-off the project then remove the toll. I am fond of saying there are no unintended consequences, there are only ignored consequences. It's an ignored consequence to think that if an inelastic source of revenue such as an I-90 toll is available for multiple uses, then the toll will be without end and without limit.

I am not necessarily practicing NIMBY'ism. State support for I-1125 continues to grow. The Association of Washington Cities reports support for I-1125 has grown from 49% in August to 56% in September. One reason for this widespread support may be the increased understanding that projects financed through revenue bonds i.e. tolls, are inherently much more expensive than through general obligation bonds. I-1125 will not stop regional transportation projects. For over a century, Washington used general obligation bonds to finance road projects. General obligation bonds can be up to 3% points lower than revenue bonds. I-1125 doesn't increase the cost of money; it decreases the cost of money. 

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Finally, something about the connection of I-1125 to Eastlink. I-1125 is redundant in its restatement of the 18th Amendment i.e. that gas taxes are used for highway purposes. We can discuss the merits and motivations of re-stating an amendment to the State Constitution, but the dispute of using highway funds within the constraints of our Constitution is a real issue. Our State Supreme Court recently decided not to decide the issue by sending the case down to Superior Court. Those arguing the case will undoubtedly appeal once again to the Supreme Court. When the rule of law is questioned, we thankfully have our judicial process to interpret the Constitution. The Courts will decide the limits of highway funds and therefore Eastlink's access to the I-90 center lane, not I-1125. 

Vote for I-1125 to limit I-90 tolls in scope and duration.   

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