Vehicle owners pay a … OLYMPIA, Wash — The Washington state Supreme Court ruled Thursday an initiative approved by voters nearly a year ago that would cap car-tab fees is … Local officials, too, are  breathing a sigh of relief after Thursday’s ruling. “Everyone benefits from our transportation and transit infrastructure, which heavily relies on Vehicle License Fee revenue that will be preserved due to this court ruling.”, Washington State Supreme Court strikes down $30 car tabs, I-976 was struck down by the state Supreme Court. Download KTNW Schedule src += '&t=pageview'; “Pierce County and the voters in my district voted overwhelmingly for I-976,” Senator Steve O’Ban said in a news release. Many Washington residents, including those who are now out of work, are still required to pay car tabs upwards of $600. src += '&dt=' + encodeURIComponent('WA Supreme Court rules $30 car tab initiative is unconstitutional'); Even before the pandemic and economic crisis, Seattle’s transportation budget was unnecessarily decimated by I-976 last year and our residents and businesses have felt the real impacts of cuts. For the third time in state history, a measure promising to cut car-tab taxes to $30 a year has been blocked by Washington state courts. The fate of $30 car tabs in Washington will be decided by the state Supreme Court. On Thursday, the state Supreme Court struck down Initiative 976, a measure Washington voters approved last November to … Those challenging the legality of the proposal are also chiming in with their reactions after the decision, including Seattle City Attorney Pete Holmes. - The state Supreme Court has struck down the voter-approved $30 car tab initiative. All rights reserved. © 2021 Bonneville International. To find out what your specific fees will be, visit a vehicle licensing office location. If you're stationed outside of Washington when your tabs expire, you may be able to get a new expiration date. A robust and reliable public transportation system available to all is foundational to that vision of a thriving, growing Seattle, and we still have a long ways to go.”, “The passage of I-976 was a dangerous derailment to our shared efforts to create a more equitable transportation system,” Zimbabwe added. State officials had estimated I-976 would cause state and local governments to lose a total of about $4.2 billion in revenue for transportation and transit projects over the next six years. Public Inspection Files, About Us On Thursday, the state Supreme Court struck down Initiative 976, a measure Washington voters approved last November to reduce the cost of annual vehicle licensing fees. Eight of the court’s nine justices also said the initiative had a misleading title, striking it down on that basis as well. I-976 was approved in November 2019, with 53% of voters in favor of the measure. Coverage Area, Support Us Jobs The court ruled Thursday morning that I-976, the Tim Eyman-sponsored initiative that would cap car tab … We recognize that our decisions, how we reach them, and how people are treated when they come to court, matters. About 60 cities and counties charge their own local car-tab fees to pay for road projects and other transportation needs. I-976 ($30 car tab) ruled unconstitutional. Don't expect your license tabs to go down to $30 any time soon. More specifically, they cite a violation of  “single subject” rules. The Washington State Supreme Court ruled that tax goblin Tim Eyman's I-976 measure, which passed with 53% of the vote last year, is unconstitutional. It was found to be unconstitutional for violating the single subject rule and inaccurate ballot title. Vehicle Donation Justices Strike Down Eyman's $30 Car Tab Initiative The Washington Supreme Court has unanimously struck down Tim Eyman's Initiative 976, a measure … 'Snow looks likely' as soon as Sunday in Puget Sound region, Rantz: Councilmember Gonzalez renews push to fire white Seattle police officers, COVID, Dem co-sponsor give latest bid to expand gambling in WA new life, Sign up to receive the Most Popular email, Repealing of a state statute that allows the imposition of a vehicle fee for a Transportation Benefit District, Repealing of the local option motor vehicle excise tax for passenger-only ferry service. Welcome to the new digital home of Northwest Public Radio and Northwest Public Television. File photo. It also would implement a laundry list of tax and fee reductions, including: In addition to the city of Seattle and King County, plaintiffs include the Garfield County Transportation Authority, Washington State Transit Association, Association of Washington Cities, the Port of Seattle, Intercity Transit, Amalgamated Transit Union Legislative Council of Washington, and Michael Rogers, an individual with cerebral palsy in Lacey. Pledge Today Justice matters. This sustains the local resources needed to investment in asset maintenance and leaves local funding options in place that allows Seattle voters to choose how they want to invest in our vital transportation and transit system.”, Seattle City Council President Lorena González says the ruling is a win for Seattle voters, who “know the importance of investing in and growing our transit systems.”, “Today’s Washington State Supreme Court ruling that Initiative 976 is unconstitutional, is a win for Seattle voters, who in 2019 overwhelmingly voted to reject Tim Eyman’s I-976,” she said. “We had committed legal partners throughout this effort, and I’d like to thank Assistant City Attorneys Carolyn Boies and Erica Franklin for their endless hours and creative thinking.”, “Seattle was the fastest growing city of the last decade,” said Seattle Department of Transportation Director Sam Zimbabwe. I-976 was projected to reduce the state transportation budget by about $650 million through 2023. Your support matters. Listen Online Washington's $30 car tabs on hold as judge slaps injunction on I-976. Eyman had previously proposed two other measures to cut car-tab fees, each of which was similarly thrown out or partially blocked by the courts. On Thursday, the state Supreme Court … By. OLYMPIA, Wash. -- Tim Eyman's I-976 initiative that would have reduced car tab fees to $30 has been ruled unconstitutional by the State Supreme Court. I-976, the $30 car tab measure approved by voters in 2019 has been struck down by the Washington State Supreme Court. Plaintiffs in the lawsuit against it have argued that the initiative used “seemingly popular provisions to gain passage of unpopular ones” and mislead voters on the true nature and impact. CREDIT: Austin Jenkins/N3. Who We Are The state Legislature and Democratic Gov. A car registration tab is shown on a vehicle parked at the Capitol, Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2020, in Olympia, Wash. For I-976, reducing car tabs to $30 was just one of a handful of measures the legislation called for. I-976 would have wiped out those local taxes, reducing local transportation spending by about $60 million per year. Together, we’re NWPB. For the third time in state history, a measure promising to cut car-tab taxes to $30 a year has been blocked by Washington state courts. var img = document.createElement('img'); The Washington State Supreme Court has struck down the initiative voters passed last year that sought to reduce the cost of car tabs. The initiative passed anyway, winning 53% of the vote in November 2019. src += '&dl=' + encodeURIComponent('https://crosscut.com/news/2020/10/wa-supreme-court-rules-30-car-tab-initiative-unconstitutional'); The Washington Supreme Court struck down Initiative 976 to reduce car-tab taxes, nearly a year after statewide voters approved the tax-cutting measure. Please whitelist www.nwpb.org to ensure that you are receiving the fully uncompromised interactive experience. Despite voters expressing support for lower car tabs by passing Initiative 976 last fall, and despite offering economic relief elsewhere, Governor Inslee has chosen not to issue a proclamation that would allow a grace period or delayed payments of car tabs. As the highest court in the State of Washington, the mission of our court is to uphold the constitution and when called upon through cases, interpret laws passed by the legislature and enforced by the executive branches of government. Tim Eyman, sponsor of the initiative, and Rep. Jim Walsh said they’ll be at the steps of the state Supreme Court in Olympia at 11:30 a.m. Thursday with their reaction to the decision. Learn more from our I-976 Fact Sheet. the state Supreme Court struck down Initiative 976, lose a total of about $4.2 billion in revenue for transportation and transit projects, What Is The Sound Of Grief? In Washington, a vehicle with expired registration can carry a standard fine of $136 in addition to delinquent tab fees. September 10, 2019 at 11:19 am (KIRO 7 TV) The battle over high car tabs that came with the $54 billion light rail expansion in the Seattle area — known as … Today’s decision to overturn I-976 is an incredible victory for the 76 percent of Seattle voters who rejected this initiative last November, and for everyone who wishes to build a more inclusive city focused on correcting our historic shortcomings. The Washington Supreme Court unanimously struck down Tim Eyman's Initiative 976 in a ruling issued Thursday. “We knew this initiative had some fairly obvious legal problems from the outset. Most of that money would have come from transit and nonroad projects. }); Northwest Public Broadcasting With the debate over pricey car tabs in Washington continuing to rage, that dispute will soon make its way before the state's Supreme Court. If your current tabs expired less than 12 months ago, we'll give you a new full year registration period. Business Support & Community Sponsor, Editorial Policy | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use. Washington state Supreme Court justices will decide whether a measure to cap car tab fees at $30 is unconstitutional. The decision means state and local car-tab taxes can remain at their current levels. I am deeply disappointed that the court ignored taxpayers, rejected the holding of the lower court, and struck down the voter approved I-976.”. Thanks for visiting www.nwpb.org. My constituents don’t believe light rail will benefit them, just Seattle. Puget Sound voters approved that transit expansion, and the increased fees, in 2016. Before taking more drastic action, they wanted to wait for the court’s ruling on whether or not the initiative was valid. Seven Washington drivers filed a lawsuit against Sound Transit over car tab fees. The measure has been on hold for nearly a year as legal challenges worked their way through the court system. “That’s why I authored a bill to enact $30 car tabs earlier this year. Ted S. Warren / The Associated Press (file) What the Washington Supreme Court ruling on $30 car tabs means for Spokane State estimates say I-976 would have cut more than $4 billion in tax revenue by … The new year brings an internal change to our organization, joining TV and radio. — A Washington state Supreme Court ruling could mean refunds for car owners in King, Pierce, and Snohomish Counties. Thank you for your continued support of public broadcasting in our region. The state Supreme Court heard oral arguments for the case on June 30, with Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson tasked with defending I-976. A ballot measure to lower car tab fees and some other taxes for vehicles is unconstitutional, the state Supreme Court said today. src += '&dr=' + encodeURIComponent(window.location.href); Jay Inslee suspended some projects and shuffled budgets as if the tax reduction will take effect, but the court has yet to rule, The Seattle Times reported . On October 15, 2020 the Washington State Supreme Court ruled I-976 unconstitutional. The court rightly recognized that a clearly inaccurate initiative title and logrolling subjects is unlawful,” Holmes said. Estate Planning SEATTLE (AP) — The Washington state Supreme Court heard arguments about whether a voter-approved car-tab tax cut was legal or if its ballot title misled voters. Mr. Eyman has never sponsored an initiative that’s withstood legal challenge, so today’s decision shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone. Download KWSU Schedule src += '&tid=UA-1197400-7'; window.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', (event) => { Vehicles with tabs overdue by more than two months can cost up to $228 and be impounded by law enforcement. Supreme Court justices announced Wednesday they will hear arguments on … Watch Online At left, former Spokane city councilman Mike Fagan. img.src = src; var src = 'https://www.google-analytics.com/collect?v=1'; Visit crosscut.com/donate to support nonprofit, freely distributed, local journalism. src += '&cid=1'; I-976 fallout: Inslee postpones all upcoming WSDOT projects. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren). “With that has come many challenges and opportunities on our path to building a more livable, inclusive, and accessible city. State Sen. Steve O’Ban, R-Tacoma, condemned the court’s Thursday ruling as a blow to the will of his constituents. Approved by voters in favor of the vote in November 2019 bill to enact $ car! 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