State governments, agencies sue to stop $30 car tab measure

SEATTLE -- Several state governments and transit agencies have filed a lawsuit in an attempt to stop a $30 car tab initiative recently passed by Washington voters.

The lawsuit, filed by eight agencies including King County, the City of Seattle and the Washington State Transit Association,  calls Initiative 976 a "poorly drafted hodge-podge" that misleads voters about its impact and violates the state constitution.

Read the lawsuit 

The Tim Eyman-sponsored measure repeals car tab taxes and fees, leaving governments without planned funding for road paving and other projects. Eyman has said that the lawsuit would defy the will of the voters.

The lawsuit alleges that I-976 violates the state constitution's single subject rule.

"By violating the prohibition on single subject, the initiative improperly attempted to win support by hiding unpopular provisions among more popular ones, without clearly spelling out what some of those provisions were," a statement on behalf of the governments and agencies involved in the lawsuit reads.

Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan previously said that if fully implemented, I-976 would force the city to cut more than 100,000 bus hours and would hamper her program to provide free bus access for students and low-income residents.

Most of the measure is supposed to take effect early next month, but a separate suit will be filed Thursday asking for a judge to halt it.