I-985

The deadline for turning in signatures to place an initiative on the November ballot is July 3, and three big campaigns are gearing up to take their “oughta be a law” ideas directly to the people.

The Tacoma News-Tribune has the scoop on which ballot initiatives are likely to turn in the necessary 250,000 signatures to earn ballot access between now and the July 3 deadline courtesy of Secretary of State Sam Reed's communications director Dave Ammons, the former AP writer.

Ammons says that I-1000, the "death with dignity" initiative, will bring most of its signatures to the office Thursday, June 25 at 10 A.M. without fanfare, and will finish the job July 2. I-1029, requiring greater training for some health care jobs, will present signatures on the deadline of July 3 at 2 P.M. Tim Eyman will bring in the final signatures for I-985 the same day.

Rich Roesler at the S-R has a rundown of expenditures for Washington's ballot initiatives. Initiative 1000, which would legally grant physicians the power to prescribe lethal drugs to the terminally ill, leads the charge with more than $1.2 million raised and over a million spent. Their opponents, the Coalition Against Assisted Suicide, spent about $54,000 and have a little less than $40,000 on hand.

Tim Eyman's Initiative 985 has raised $511,170 and spent $454,287, both relatively small figures compared to the amount of press the initiative receives with Eyman's promotion talents. Also of note is Initiative 1029, which would expand training and background checks for certain health care workers and has brought in $350,000 and spent $267,159.

Tim Eyman, the driving force behind ballot initiative 985 which seeks to implement State Auditor Brian Sonntag's recommendations to reform the Department of Transportation to focus on reducing congestion, is headed to Olympia today to turn in the 225,000 signatures required for ballot access at 11 am.

This is the first initiative to reach that mark. Still no word on the signature status of the other major ballot initiative of the cycle, I-1000 or, death with dignity. The deadline for turning in signatures is July 3. 

UPDATE: No one showed up at Eyman's press conference, per Mulick.

Eyman is maximizing free press to mobilize the surprising number of people who still think he’s a good idea. Famous for being famous, for wearing silly costumes, for ruining serious news coverage and for misdirecting the state economy, Tim Eyman is our very own Paris Hilton. Only not as pretty.

Tim Eyman, the chief sponsor of the Initiative 985 that would require the implementation of certain traffic congestion reduction measures recommended by State Auditor Brian Sonntag, announced today that the campaign is on the cusp of the 225,000 signatures required to gain access to the ballot in November.

Ballot initiative backer Tim Eyman, who is looking to get his I-985 on the ballot this fall, has officially been approved to take a $250,000 home equity line of credit out on his house in order to fund his latest venture. Eyman announced in April that he no longer had the financial backing of Mike Dunmire, and would be taking out the loan with hopes that his grassroots backers would be able to pay it back between now and the election.

Beginning tomorrow, he will reap the thrill of the jump when he picks up the first $50,000 installment of the loan. He included media and supporters in a bcc while replying to the bank loan officer with a request for the first large installment Friday morning.

SPOKANE - The Washington State Republican Party convention does more than just give its candidates a platform to speak and select presidential delegates to the national convention, it is also a time for party activists to speak their mind and participate in the process of defining the party.

But that latter group is made up of more than just party faithful. Here in Spokane, backers of ballot initiatives are looking to make their wares part of the Republican Party fabric.

Tim Eyman, like state and local government, is left pleading for the public to loose its purse, since his primary financier, Mike Dunmire, has cut Eyman off, choosing instead to buy pony rides for people with disabilities.

Ballot initiative guru Tim Eyman has always had a self-deprecating sense of humor. Now he is using that same attitude to help him raise money to pay off the $250,000 loan he recently took out against his house to support his latest effort in citizen government, I-985.

On Wednesday he sent out an e-mail to supporters and media with the title, "Critics attack Eyman for taking out $250K loan."