This time I’m going for it, Tim Eyman’s Initiative 747, that is, despite those scaremonger radio ads warning that life as we know it will end if we limit property tax increases to 1 percent a year unless approved by voters.

I voted no on his three previous initiatives, I-695 for $30 car tabs, I-745 mandating 90 percent of transportation spending for roads, and I-722, holding property tax increases to 2 percent and repealing previous tax and fee raises because I thought they were harmful to, in order, the ferry system, transportation planning. and local governments. .

I-745 didn’t pass and the other two passed overwhelmingly but were declared unconstitutional because, among other things, each had two subjects under one title, not allowed. The Legislature got the message about $30 car tabs and quickly passed same. But it’s been in low gear on doing something substantial about property taxes that are rising faster and higher than the Social Security benefits and other pensions many home owners rely on to pay them.

In 1997, voters approved Referendum 47, limiting growth in property tax collections to the rate of inflation in all taxing districts over 10,000 population. District officials could exceed that limit up to 6 percent by passing a resolution of “substantial need” with a super majority. Efforts in the Legislature to make that approval by the voters instead, failed.

So you know what happened. Most of the taxing districts kept right on jacking up their budgets 6 percent a year since all it took was two commissioners out of three, etc. And what many people forget or don’t know is that any district that doesn’t take the full 6, taking only 4 percent one year, for example, doesn’t lose that unspent 2 percent as foregone opportunity. What they don’t use is “banked” for them for the future so down the road they can OK budgets that are 10 or l5 percent over the previous year, or whatever they didn’t use previously up to 6, plus that year’s 6 percent.

I-747 plugs that loophole by limiting increases to 1 percent a year. It has no immediate effect on spending, that is, it doesn’t force any city or county or fire district to cut its budget because it’s only for the future. If I-747 gets enough signatures by July 6 to qualify for the November ballot and passes, the effect won’t be felt until the 2002 budgets are written at the end of this year.

So why all the howling and whining from local government officials about I-747? Because this time, they fear Eyman finally got it right, and it scares them to death. “This one appears to be legal,” said Chris Sinderman, a consultant who heads the campaign against it. “This is a change in tactics. Eyman’s always been given a free ride and this time we’re going to hold him accountable.”

Proposing an initiative that will pass constitutional muster is a change in tactics? Hold him accountable for what? Trying to accomplish by initiative what the Legislature hasn’t done despite years of promises because greedy local governments won’t get off the gravy train?

Don’t believe it when you hear them claim they’d have to lay off police and firefighters, close libraries, let the pot holes go, shut down emergency rooms. They said all that about I-695 and even when the $30 car tabs became fact, and there WAS a big hole in revenue, none of that gloom and doom propaganda came to pass. It was all scare tactics to keep money in government hands.

Do pay attention when you hear the likes of Chris Dugovich, president of the State Council of County and City Employees say if I-747 is on the November ballot, millions of dollars will be spent by the opposition, which includes his union troops, who have already contributed $75,000.

Why and where are they going to get millions of dollars? If there are millions of dollars available to throw away on ads warning you not to vote for holding your property taxes to a 1 percent annual increase rather than 6, why are they so steamed about I-747?

Seattle Mayor Paul Schell wants to “send Mr. Eyman packing.” I think we’re lucky to have a Tim Eyman to stand up to our lavishly spending bureaucrats. I think he deserves a medal.

(Adele Ferguson can be reached at P.O. Box 69, Hansville, Wa., 98340.).