Tim Eyman says initiative holds Sound Transit accountable

Sound Transit announced Thursday it’s $500 million over budget on the Northgate-Lynnwood extension and who better to commiserate with than Tim Eyman?

The tax initiative guru told KIRO Radio’s Dori Monson he’s not surprised.

RELATED: Sound Transit’s Lynnwood extension $500M over budget

“The first thing I thought of was ‘they knew this a long time ago and they kept it from the public,” Eyman said.

Voters approved the Lynnwood-Northgate extension in 2008 as part of the Sound Transit 2 package. Just nine months ago, voters approved the Sound Transit 3 package to reach Everett and build several other extensions.

Eyman is busy pushing his latest initiative – $30 car tabs. It’s not the first time. Voters approved I-695 in 1999 and again in 2002 with I-776 to approve $30 car tabs.

“This is our chance to stick it to Sound Transit and hold this government accountable,” he said.

Sound Transit said it can absorb the increases, but spending now means fewer dollars in the future for the Everett expansion.

Eyman insisted that there has to be a consequence and his initiative is just the solution to hold government accountable.

“If they get away with it, they’re just going to keep doing it,” he said. “Our initiative says everyone should pay a flat $30. Let’s take away about $8 billion of Sound Transit’s $54 billion. You gotta swift kick them in the shins when they do something wrong or else they’re going to just keep doing the wrong.”

Listen to Eyman’s full interview with Dori.