Did you realize that Sound Transit is still collecting its extra MVET in spite of the fact that the State Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of I-776, which limited car tab taxes to $30? With thanks to then Attorney General Christine Gregoire who advised Sound Transit not to obey the law and to King County Superior Court Judge Mary Yu, who ruled that Sound Transit is above the law.
The citizens are appealing Yu's irresponsible decision. The brief is long, but interesting reading. Sound Transit's central claim is that it must collect continue to collect the MVET so as not to impair existing bond contracts, even though it has more than enough revenue from other sources to meet its commitments to bondholders without the MVET. The brief demolishes that argument thusly:
Taken to its logical but absurd extreme, the legal proposition embraced below—should it become the law of this State—empowers a local government to shield all of its taxing power from revision by the Sovereign for 30 years by issuing a single $1,000.00 bond (a contract) maturing in thirty years, so long as it pledges in the contract to levy and collect billions of tax dollars.Read more of the brief, especially Assignments of Error and Statement of the Case (pp 1-8) and conclusion (p. 49-50) Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at July 12, 2005 10:32 AM | Email This
Oh! yeah when apply the single issue rule to citizen initiatives.
Above the law, yep, isn't that special.
Posted by: JCM on July 12, 2005 11:38 AMI am still waiting for the refunds on the tabs I have paid for over these last couple of years. There is a culture in our Government that thinks that money is the property of government not my money. That is a problem that needs to be addressed. When the lefties ridicule the initiative process, I just stand back and laugh. It is the only way to teach the dumb animal (government) restraint. I will support these initiatives as long as it takes the dumb animal to “Get It”.
Even the stupidest cow will avoid the electric fence after just a few shocks.
It also makes you wonder if they could possibly do a cross-reference between voter lists and addresses and Motor Vehicle Licenses---registered owner and address.
Hmmmmmmmmmm?
She advised the DMV to continue to revoke drivers licenses based on CSE-Child Support Enforcement data (which is often wrong). The supreme court said (laymans terms) you can't revoke a license based on a fine and w/out due process. Queen Gregoire said fathers don't deserve due process- so keep it up.
Countless men who are up to date on their support get their licenses revoked and also get their vehicles impounded because OSE can't get their record keeping straight.
It seems the father's rights watch dogs are pretty good at spotting the worst candidates rising to the top.
Both Chris Wickham and Queen Gregoire are on our worst offender lists for ignoring the law and violating the constitution.
Posted by: Andy on July 12, 2005 01:58 PMThese stories are pretty outrageous. Why doesn't anyone sue the state and the queen when their DL is revoked? There is the WASC saying it was done without due process. If she instructed state personnel to violate state law it seems like it would be an easy case. It would also help show the electorate what she is, in time for 2008.
Posted by: fred on July 12, 2005 02:14 PMBTW -There WAS a class action lawsuit regarding shared parenting- Queen Christine had that killed in Wa too.
The biggest difference between the men's movement now and the women's movement in the 1960's is that the men organizing now have jobs and responsibilities.
Posted by: Andy on July 12, 2005 02:22 PMGag me with the entire place setting.
Posted by: dl on July 12, 2005 06:15 PMHOBO's can use the KingCo Courthouse Address to register to vote....who knows where their real home is.
Posted by: Mr. Cynical on July 12, 2005 08:24 PMBrad, it is more than a culture when the Supreme Court rules government, in the guise of making more money, can steal your property for a private developer.
It is more than culture when a State Representative says that you don't own your property, but you are only leasing it.
It is a sick fact.
Posted by: swatter on July 13, 2005 09:47 AM