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Post by Steve Rosenow on Feb 9, 2013 11:07:50 GMT -8
AS I recall I-695 was overturned in a court challenge, and was subsquently enacted by the legislature. It was eventually overturned by the state supreme court. I don't remember if the $30 tab fee was enacted by the lesiglature before of after the court overturned it. As I recall, the judge that ruled it unconstitutional in the lawsuit case Amalgamated Transit Union Local 587 v. The State of Washington maintained the $30 car tabs in an effort to capitulate to the voters and to Tim Eyman's tax reform coalition. This was after Eyman began to threaten a class-action lawsuit.
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Post by chokai on Feb 9, 2013 21:02:16 GMT -8
First, I am going to make this as clear and blunt as possible. Washington State Ferries was born of the failures of a private entity that was being seen as a monopoly. Public demand forced the state to take over Puget Sound Navigation. Fares are already high. They don't need to be any higher. Secondly, rescind Initiative 695 and you'll have the funding. Just as there was prior to 1999. Go back and reread what I have said in this thread. I couldn't agree more. The private sector, particularly anything that heavily involves the investment community (read wall street), has proven itself repeatadly to be unable to effectly manage public or really any infrastructure for the long term benefit of society.
Heck nowadays they can't even manage major for profit corporations. All over the country former founders are taking over failing companies driven into the ground by leveraged buy outs and investment banking backed CEOs. This even happens with profitable companies now like BNSF because people like Buffett who can tell wall street off believe they can get better long term gain by getting them away from the short term gain vultures. Great companies like HP and Xerox have been devestated by cuts forced to thier R&D deparments and wild board and CEO changes in order to satisfy major short term investors by pumping up the stock price. The credit unions are steadily eating into commercial bankings clients and the banks keep raising fees to satisfy wall street and get a few people a quick buck when the executives know it's a poison pill. And that's without the more salient example of what happened up at BCFerries.
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Post by lavalamp on Feb 10, 2013 13:21:13 GMT -8
It was eventually overturned by the state supreme court. I don't remember if the $30 tab fee was enacted by the lesiglature before of after the court overturned it. As I recall, the judge that ruled it unconstitutional in the lawsuit case Amalgamated Transit Union Local 587 v. The State of Washington maintained the $30 car tabs in an effort to capitulate to the voters and to Tim Eyman's tax reform coalition. This was after Eyman began to threaten a class-action lawsuit. Steve, Your reading of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 587 v. State of Washington is incorrect. The state supreme court struck down I-695 in its entirety, $30 car tabs and all. The legislature later enacted $30 car tabs themselves.
Also, the state supreme court is a body of nine justices, and they need a majority to decide a case. No one justice decides any case that is heard by the full court.
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Post by Steve Rosenow on Feb 10, 2013 14:14:07 GMT -8
Steve, Your reading of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 587 v. State of Washington is incorrect. The state supreme court struck down I-695 in its entirety, $30 car tabs and all. The legislature later enacted $30 car tabs themselves.
Also, the state supreme court is a body of nine justices, and they need a majority to decide a case. No one justice decides any case that is heard by the full court. I'm aware that the State Supreme Court is a body of 9 justices, and that a case must be decided on a majority. I'll also stand corrected on the legislature with regards to 695. I apparently lost track of a research piece I had bookmarked on an older computer of mine. However, the point still remains that the $30 car tabs need to be done away with and the MVET reinstated.
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Post by compdude787 on Feb 10, 2013 20:57:13 GMT -8
I am thinking you do not want funding. To get the funding Washington State must make the ferry system private or increase taxes and the fares. Maybe, cutting some funding from other transportation projects. That is the most ignorant post I have ever witnessed in my two plus years here. Absolutely takes the cake in terms of blindness. I have never expressed no desire for funding. First, I am going to make this as clear and blunt as possible. Washington State Ferries was born of the failures of a private entity that was being seen as a monopoly. Public demand forced the state to take over Puget Sound Navigation. Fares are already high. They don't need to be any higher. Secondly, rescind Initiative 695 and you'll have the funding. Just as there was prior to 1999. Go back and reread what I have said in this thread. I agree that's pretty ignorant. I know that I was fairly ignorant about the beliefs of liberals, but this is just like over the top in ignorance. @cheese, how could you possibly think that Steve did not want more funding? Really?
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