Initiative promoter Tim Eyman said today that his property tax measure, Initiative 1033, is close to having enough signatures to ensure that it's on the November ballot.

"We've hit 270,000 signatures for I-1033," Eyman emailed to supporters this morning. I-1033 would cap the growth of state, city and county general-fund taxes, with any dollars over the cap devoted to reducing property taxes.

To get a measure on the ballot, organizers need signatures from 241,153 registered voters. Since some people sign twice, or make up names, or aren't registered to vote, etc., state election officials recommend a cushion of about 25 percent extra names.

Eyman says that his group's validity rate is higher than average, at about 83 percent, meaning that 83 out of 100 signatures are deemed valid when the state runs a spot-check of the signatures to protect against fraud. So Eyman's aiming for 292,000 signatures this year.

"We had an absolutely killer week last week," he wrote. "Signatures really poured into our P.O. box in Spokane." That's where his colleagues, Jack and Mike Fagan, help administer the effort. Mike Fagan is also one of a crowded field of people running for Spokane City Council this year.

There hasn't been much public opposition to the initiative yet, but opponents typically hold their fire until after a measure actually qualifies for the ballot, because most don't.

NOTE: The description of I-1033 above was rewritten to more accurately describe it. RR

 

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