Get an estimate. If your current tabs expired less than 12 months ago, we'll give you a new full year registration period. 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. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) I-976, the $30 car tab measure approved by voters in 2019 has been struck down by the Washington State Supreme Court. It looks like you might have an Ad Blocker enabled. 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 … — 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. 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. Now, as they grapple with the economic fallout from a global pandemic, high unemployment and the closure of businesses, I-976 is one less thing they have to worry about. — A Washington state Supreme Court ruling could mean refunds for car owners in King, Pierce, and Snohomish Counties. var img = document.createElement('img'); © 2021 Bonneville International. 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? Watch Online Before taking more drastic action, they wanted to wait for the court’s ruling on whether or not the initiative was valid. File photo. My constituents don’t believe light rail will benefit them, just Seattle. 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. Those exist to prevent a practice known as “log-rolling,” which occurs when an initiative combines multiple topics that are not necessarily related to each other. 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. Together, we’re NWPB. Puget Sound voters approved that transit expansion, and the increased fees, in 2016. The new year brings an internal change to our organization, joining TV and radio. “That’s why I authored a bill to enact $30 car tabs earlier this year. The court rightly recognized that a clearly inaccurate initiative title and logrolling subjects is unlawful,” Holmes said. Vehicle owners pay a … src += '&dl=' + encodeURIComponent('https://crosscut.com/news/2020/10/wa-supreme-court-rules-30-car-tab-initiative-unconstitutional'); Listen Online 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. Estate Planning CREDIT: Austin Jenkins/N3. “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. 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. Washington's $30 car tabs on hold as judge slaps injunction on I-976. src += '&t=pageview'; 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 court … The decision means state and local car-tab taxes can remain at their current levels. Please whitelist www.nwpb.org to ensure that you are receiving the fully uncompromised interactive experience. Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson released the following statement on Washington State Supreme Court’s decision to strike down $30 car tabs: “I’m proud of my legal team, who worked long hours to defend the will of the voters, arguing successfully at the … The court ruled Thursday morning that I-976, the Tim Eyman-sponsored initiative that would cap car tab … Learn more from our I-976 Fact Sheet. Washington state Supreme Court justices will decide whether a measure to cap car tab fees at $30 is unconstitutional. 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. Vehicles with tabs overdue by more than two months can cost up to $228 and be impounded by law enforcement. For I-976, reducing car tabs to $30 was just one of a handful of measures the legislation called for. 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. On Thursday, the state Supreme Court struck down Initiative 976, a measure Washington voters approved last November to … The state Supreme Court heard oral arguments for the case on June 30, with Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson tasked with defending I-976. Ted S. Warren / The Associated Press (file) Local officials, too, are  breathing a sigh of relief after Thursday’s ruling. 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. Earlier this year, legislators addressed the immediate problem mostly with one-time fixes, such as transferring money between accounts, rather than making deep cuts. I-976 was projected to reduce the state transportation budget by about $650 million through 2023. Seven Washington drivers filed a lawsuit against Sound Transit over car tab fees. — The Washington State Supreme Court will hear the $30 car tabs case. src += '&dt=' + encodeURIComponent('WA Supreme Court rules $30 car tab initiative is unconstitutional'); “With that has come many challenges and opportunities on our path to building a more livable, inclusive, and accessible city. The initiative passed anyway, winning 53% of the vote in November 2019. A ballot measure to lower car tab fees and some other taxes for vehicles is unconstitutional, the state Supreme Court said today. The Washington Supreme Court has unanimously struck down Eyman's Initiative 976, a measure that would have steeply discounted the price of car registrations while gutting transportation budgets across the state. We will continue to collect all current vehicle fees and taxes. The Supreme Court ruling is the end of the road for I-976, which was the brainchild of anti-tax activist Tim Eyman. Who We Are 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 … Don't expect your license tabs to go down to $30 any time soon. They also allege that it violated a rule stating that local matters should be decided locally, rather than on statewide ballot measures. window.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', (event) => { On October 15, 2020 the Washington State Supreme Court ruled I-976 unconstitutional. 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 … State Sen. Steve O’Ban, R-Tacoma, condemned the court’s Thursday ruling as a blow to the will of his constituents. 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. 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. Thursday’s court ruling will give state legislators a bit of a reprieve next year. I-976 ($30 car tab) ruled unconstitutional. The Washington State Supreme Court has issued a ruling striking down Tim Eyman’s Initiative 976 for $30 car tabs across the state. Composer Osvaldo Golijov Puts It To Music, Census Director To Quit After Trying To Rush Out ‘Indefensible’ Report, For Many Areas, Count Of Homeless Population Is Canceled, Or Delayed, Washington Will Use National Guard, Partners With Microsoft, Costco, More To Boost Vaccine Delivery, 3 Questions And The Emerging Answers About COVID-19 Vaccine Protection, NASA’s 8-Minute Rocket Test Shuts Down After 67 Seconds. “Cruelly, it arrived as a global pandemic set in and placed further out of reach essential transit services when those traveling to reach front-line jobs, school, and other essential services needed it most. In a unanimous ruling, the state’s high court said the measure was unconstitutional because it combined more than one subject in one initiative — which the state constitution forbids. It was found to be unconstitutional for violating the single subject rule and inaccurate ballot title. “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. Business Support & Community Sponsor, Editorial Policy | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use. The state Legislature and Democratic Gov. More specifically, they cite a violation of  “single subject” rules. To find out what your specific fees will be, visit a vehicle licensing office location. src += '&tid=UA-1197400-7'; (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren). The Washington Supreme Court struck down Initiative 976 to reduce car-tab taxes, nearly a year after statewide voters approved the tax-cutting measure. In Washington, a vehicle with expired registration can carry a standard fine of $136 in addition to delinquent tab fees. If you're stationed outside of Washington when your tabs expire, you may be able to get a new expiration date. }); Northwest Public Broadcasting “Pierce County and the voters in my district voted overwhelmingly for I-976,” Senator Steve O’Ban said in a news release. Download KWSU Schedule The Washington State Supreme Court has struck down the initiative voters passed last year that sought to reduce the cost of car tabs. 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. I am deeply disappointed that the court ignored taxpayers, rejected the holding of the lower court, and struck down the voter approved I-976.”. Justice matters. 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. The fate of $30 car tabs in Washington will be decided by the state Supreme Court. Mr. Eyman has never sponsored an initiative that’s withstood legal challenge, so today’s decision shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone. Visit crosscut.com/donate to support nonprofit, freely distributed, local journalism. - The state Supreme Court has struck down the voter-approved $30 car tab initiative. 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. 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. img.src = src; src += '&cid=1'; Supreme Court justices announced Wednesday they will hear arguments on … Public Inspection Files, About Us I-976 fallout: Inslee postpones all upcoming WSDOT projects. Your support matters. One of Eyman’s main targets with the initiative was Sound Transit, which is building a regional light rail network paid for in part by higher car-tab fees. document.body.appendChild(img); Coverage Area, Support Us About 60 cities and counties charge their own local car-tab fees to pay for road projects and other transportation needs. Jobs var src = 'https://www.google-analytics.com/collect?v=1'; 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. At left, former Spokane city councilman Mike Fagan. A car registration tab is shown on a vehicle parked at the Capitol, Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2020, in Olympia, Wash. Thank you for your continued support of public broadcasting in our region. Just before the full decision was released, Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan tweeted: Justice for Seattle voters prevailed in today's Supreme Court ruling on I-976. Thanks for visiting www.nwpb.org. Washington Supreme Court. Internships The measure has been on hold for nearly a year as legal challenges worked their way through the court system. I-976 would have wiped out those local taxes, reducing local transportation spending by about $60 million per year. Most car-tab charges in Washington are flat fees. Many Washington residents, including those who are now out of work, are still required to pay car tabs upwards of $600. I-976, the $30 car tab measure approved by voters in 2019 has been struck down by the Washington State Supreme Court. Most of that money would have come from transit and nonroad projects. '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. Eight of the court’s nine justices also said the initiative had a misleading title, striking it down on that basis as well. By. On Thursday, the state Supreme Court … “We knew this initiative had some fairly obvious legal problems from the outset. Professional initiative sponsor Tim Eyman, right, who ran for governor in 2020 as a Republican but didn’t make it past the primary, holds a photo from his first successful $30 car tabs initiative in 1999 earlier this year. All rights reserved. Public Documents 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. Leadership Circle src += '&dr=' + encodeURIComponent(window.location.href); I-976 was approved in November 2019, with 53% of voters in favor of the measure. Contact Information Those challenging the legality of the proposal are also chiming in with their reactions after the decision, including Seattle City Attorney Pete Holmes. 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. Pledge Today The Washington Supreme Court unanimously struck down Tim Eyman's Initiative 976 in a ruling issued Thursday. — Mayor Jenny Durkan (@MayorJenny) October 15, 2020. Vehicle Donation Download KTNW Schedule The Supreme Court of the State of Washington struck down the voter-approved $30 car tab initiative Thursday morning, stating it is unconstitutional. 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 . We recognize that our decisions, how we reach them, and how people are treated when they come to court, matters. Justices Strike Down Eyman's $30 Car Tab Initiative The Washington Supreme Court has unanimously struck down Tim Eyman's Initiative 976, a measure … Welcome to the new digital home of Northwest Public Radio and Northwest Public Television. Many Washington residents, including Seattle city Attorney Pete Holmes subject ” rules t light... The road for i-976, which was the brainchild of anti-tax activist Tim Eyman Sound voters approved the tax-cutting.. — the Washington state Supreme Court the case on June 30, with Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson tasked defending. — the Washington state Supreme Court ruling could mean refunds for car owners in King,,. 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