Washingtonians will be voting on numerous initiatives next month and more than a few are extremely controversial. As I study one initiative in particular, I-912, I ponder certain words that have been a guiding light for every American for more than a century and wonder aloud if the public (you and me) have been duped into thinking that the gas tax is bad for Washington's citizens.

Let's start by remembering the words of Abraham Lincoln from his 1863 Gettysburg Address, “…that the nation, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people by the people for the people, shall not perish from the earth?”

Ever wonder what President Lincoln meant by government of, by and for the people? How about “we” (as in you and me) are our government. A government of people, a government (governed) by people and a government for people. Seems simple as stated as we all know the importance of the Gettysburg Address to our Constitution, to our Freedom, to our Laws and to our Independence. Or, do we?

How often do we hear dim-witted statements repeated each and every day in the press, in news reports, by enlightened and well-educated individuals and by the everyday Joe's like you and me? “It's the government's fault,” or “the government failed us,” or “our government fell short of its promise.” Or, the one I hear most often, “the government did not meet its obligation to the people!”

Can you imagine how stupid we are to fail ourselves? Wow, and I thought the government was some “hidden agenda” run by a few shady corporate figures or some “secretive world order” of very rich individuals who shape the United States and the world to its liking. For the longest time (until being Mafia fell out of favor) I really thought the Mafia was in charge of our government…didn't you? Now I'm told it's the Conservative Right…but then again maybe it's still the Left? Maybe that Michael guy from Hollywood knows; he seems to know all of the juicy conspiracy stuff?

Well, I am wrong once again because I recently discovered that “the government” is run by you and me. Can you imagine that…you and me run the government? I knew all those conspiracy theories of aliens controlling our government (as in you and me, stupid) were just too ridiculous to be true. I know because my neighbor is a State Senator, and one of my friends is a State Senator and another of my friends is a member of the House of Representative of the U.S. Congress. I know these people personally, and if they're aliens…I'm from Mars (or was that Venus-I always get that one confused!)

Quit playing the blame game. And for the sake of not being labeled stupid, don't let these so-called Initiative Sponsors obtain your signature on false pretenses by letting them prey on your wallet. No one, including me, likes being taxed more. However, given the fact that there is at least one Initiative that needs to be voted (by you and me, stupid) to leave the tax that was approved by the Legislature (you and me, stupid) in place, some tax increases are good and must not be reversed just because a few initiative sponsors were allowed to prey on your wallets at a time when gas prices are sky high and low interest rates allowed the auto companies to price SUVs at almost give-away prices. You almost have to wonder if this Initiative 912 was made possible by all the SUV owners because it now cost them $40-$50 to fill up their gas hogs… blaming the government (you and me, stupid) for the high price of gasoline.)

There are a few Initiatives that even the sponsors can't justify… I wonder how Mr. Tim Eyman feels about Initiative 912? I don't know Ms. Jane Milhans, the 912 sponsor. However, maybe she needs a good lesson in just how much the cost of not providing funds to improve our crumbling roadway system will cost every taxpayer in the future. When the Alaska Way viaduct crumbles to the ground in the next minor or major earthquake and the 520, Boulder Creek and Dry Creek bridges all fall in to such disrepair that nothing short of a miracle will fix them, then we can all turn to our Initiative sponsors and ask them to pay for their ill-placed and not well thought out foray into initiative preying.

A few closing thoughts to all of those who fell for the scare tactics that gas tax dollars could be used for anything… wrong. The Washington State Constitution prohibits gas tax dollars from being used for anything except transportation improvements. We (as in you and me) will benefit enormously from the gas tax as everyone who fills up their gas tank, travels our roads and uses fuel obtained anywhere in the state from outside of the state is paying a share of the burden to help repair our transportation infrastructure. The gas tax is a fair and equitable consumption tax to benefit our transportation infrastructure and is and will be paid for by hundreds of thousands of individuals from all over the world — not just you and me.

You don't have to be stupid anymore because now you know a view point that is rational - one not derived from preying on your wallet but on praying that you and me have the common sense to take responsibility for what is ours, because we are the government and because we do have an obligation to pay for our transportation infrastructure, to provide funds to keep our roads safe for our children, our families, our friends, our neighbors both in and outside of our state and, most important, for you and me. I know if you are reading this you are not stupid, but smart enough to see past the purveyors, because only the stupid individuals who would blame themselves (the government) will vote to reverse the gas tax. Be smart and vote NO on Initiative 912.

Richard A. Flaherty, President & CEO
Leader International Corporation
Port Orchard