Tim Eyman develops dinosaur skin to handle the snake pit of politics

A man who went so far as to take a second mortgage out on his home to kick-start efforts to get an initiative on the ballot, says he has heard it all from Washington voters.

Tim Eyman understands people have a certain view of him and he doesn’t mind.

“At the end of the day, I’ve developed a certain level of dinosaur skin when it comes to criticism,” Eyman told KIRO Radio’s Jason Rantz. “Anything that can be said has been said.”

Eyman has been promoting initiatives for about 16 years. Instead of defending himself, he defends the initiatives.

The Mukilteo resident is trying to get an initiative on the ballot that would cut the state’s sales tax by a percent if the Legislature failed to approve and place on the ballot an amendment requiring a two-thirds vote in both houses for any measure that increases revenue or shuts tax loopholes. The initiative would give voters “a voice.”

Some argue the initiative is tantamount to blackmail, Rantz pointed out.

The initiative, 1366, has been voted for under different proposals five times, Eyman said. Olympia “finds ways around it.” It allows permanent protection from higher taxes, he added.

But does it bother Eyman that people are criticizing him and the initiatives he promotes?

“If I have to take a couple of pieces of criticism … Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never harm me.

“It’s just a snake pit,” he added. “I’m a big boy, I can take it.”