Tim Eyman

Timothy Donald Eyman (born December 22, 1965)<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> is an American anti-tax activist and businessman.

Since 1997, Eyman has become the most prolific sponsor of Washington ballot measures in its history, having qualified seventeen statewide initiatives. Eleven initiatives were passed by voters, though most of these in turn were later partially or wholly overturned by courts as unconstitutional.<ref name=":1" /> His first and most notable success was an initiative preventing affirmative action in Washington State.

Eyman's most prominent ballot measures are part of an unsuccessful "20 year tug-of-war" with the state over lowering motor vehicle excise taxes, or "car tabs" to defund Sound Transit, under the slogan "$30 Tabs", of which 2019's Initiative 976 is the most recent.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It was ruled unconstitutional in 2020.

In February 2021, Eyman was convicted of violations of campaign finance law and fined $2.6 million, and barred from "managing, controlling, negotiating, or directing financial transactions" for any kind of political committee.<ref name="The Seattle Times">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In April 2021, he was ordered to pay an additional $2.9 million to reimburse the Washington State Attorney General's legal costs<ref name=st-april/> in pursuing civil penalties against him. He is currently bankrupt, and in December 2021 a court ordered sale of assets to meet $5.4m in legal liabilities to the State of Washington.<ref name=SeattleTimesDefault>Tim Eyman in default, assets to be sold to satisfy $5.4 million debt, Seattle Times</ref>

Early life and education

Timothy Donald Eyman was born in Yakima, Washington and adopted shortly after birth.<ref name="st1">Template:Cite news</ref> He graduated from Yakima's West Valley High School and went on to attend Washington State University (WSU) on an academic scholarship.

At WSU, he was initiated into Delta Tau Delta and competed on the university's intercollegiate wrestling team, finishing third in the Pacific-10 Conference.<ref name="st1" /> He received a bachelor's degree in 1988 in business management.<ref name="st1" />

Career

Mail order business

After graduating from WSU, Eyman began a mail order business out of his home selling engraved wristwatches to members of Greek Letter Organizations.<ref name="latimes">Template:Cite news</ref>

Entry into politics

In 1995, while living in Seattle's Green Lake neighborhood, a King County tax proposal before voters sought to raise $250 million for a new Seattle Mariners stadium.<ref name=":1">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Eyman attended a public meeting where a Seattle radio host, Dave Ross, was speaking.<ref name=":1" /> There Eyman decided to help gather signatures at Green Lake while holding a cardboard sign reading, “Let the voters decide”, and gathered 100 signatures on his first day.<ref name=":1" />

Voters ended up rejecting the tax package. Mariners' owner Nintendo of America insisted the city provide the $250 million funding, or the team would be sold.<ref name=":2">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In an emergency session, Governor Mike Lowry and the legislature authorized King County to levy stadium bond taxes, which ended up being placed on restaurants and car rentals.<ref name=":2" /> Despite opposition from voters, the stadium now called T-Mobile Park was built and new taxes were imposed.<ref name=":2" />

This experience drew Eyman into politics, and he often describes it as his “baptism of fire.”<ref name=":1" /> As he saw it, “They overruled what the voters did.”<ref name=":1" /> In 1997, Eyman sponsored his first ballot measure, Initiative 200, a Washington spin-off of California’s Proposition 209, which passed in 1996.<ref name=":1" /> Ward Connerly, an African-American businessman and Proposition 209's sponsor, would become Eyman’s hero and inspiration for his own initiative activism.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Initiative 200 was approved by voters in 1998, winning 58.2% of the vote.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Initiative 695 and $30 Car Tabs origin

Inspired by the 1998 "No Car Tax" campaign slogan of Virginia's then future governor, Jim Gilmore, Eyman sponsored Initiative 695 in 1999.<ref name="latimes" /> It was an Initiative to the People to lower the fee for "car tabs" (the common name in Washington for car taxes, or motor vehicle excise taxes / MVET) in the state of Washington to a flat fee of $30.<ref name="spi" />

Eyman's effort to circulate petitions and gather signatures resulted in 514,141 signatures total.<ref name=":3">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="latimes" /> Despite a broad institutional consensus in opposition – including "politicians, governments, the media, business big and small, environmentalists, civic groups, and labor" – voters approved the initiative with 56.16% of the vote, garnering nearly one million votes.<ref name=":3" /><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Prior to the passage of Initiative 695, car tab fees were 2.2% of the value of the vehicle.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Initiative 695 not only cut car tabs to $30, but also required voter approval of all proposed taxes at the state or local level.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> After its passage, the initiative was immediately challenged by opponents, citing its effect on government budgets and its violation of a single-subject rule for initiatives.<ref name=":4">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The Washington Supreme Court struck the provision for voter approval of taxes, but allowed the car tab cuts to remain.<ref name=":4" />

While the court considered the constitutionality of the main provision, Democratic governor Gary Locke called a special session of the legislature to pass the $30 car tab flat fee provision into law, lay out budget cuts to account for the tax reduction, and Attorney General Gregoire defended it before the court.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Despite "Microsoft, Boeing, Weyerhaeuser, labor, and virtually every editorial page in the state opposing I-695", and more than $2.1 million spent in the campaign against it, the $30 car tab fee was formally signed into law on March 30 after a positive ruling by the courts.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

A January 2001 assessment by the conservative Washington Policy Center of the measure's effect claimed a net savings of $750 million in the first year, and twenty-one predictions made by opponents had not materialized.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> Eyman's work on Initiative 695 in 2000 ($30 Car Tabs) was recognized by the Conservative Political Action Conference with its Ronald Reagan Award.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Permanent Offense

Following the success of that measure,Template:Efn Eyman established a political action committee called Permanent Offense to campaign for other anti-tax initiatives.<ref name="spi"/> In 2000 he began taking a salary as head of Permanent Offense, receiving $45,000 that year.<ref name="spi">Template:Cite news</ref> According to Eyman, his decision to begin paying himself was due to the time he had invested into campaigning that had resulted in a loss of income from his watch business.<ref name="spi"/> He has since been described as a "professional initiative filer".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Eyman has been the primary sponsor of ballot initiatives concerning taxes and transportation almost every year since the passage of Initiative 695. Of seventeen initiatives that qualified for the ballot, eleven were passed by vote, however, a majority of those were subsequently overturned or partially invalidated in subsequent court action.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Political views

Eyman has previously described himself as an "independent Republican", also noting that he is an admirer of Ralph Nader and Rob McKenna.<ref name="spi" /><ref name="Parrish">Template:Cite news</ref> He has been variously described by others as a "populist" and a "libertarian".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Knute Berger once called him "a political player on a par with Governor Christine Gregoire and House Speaker Frank Chopp" and "the most influential conservative in the state".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In a 2006 interview with the Seattle Weekly, Eyman said "...there are Democrats and Republicans that really respect the initiative process. It’s those particular elected officials I admire the most, because they realize that they don’t have all the answers".<ref name="Parrish" /> As of 2019, according to Eyman, he had no formal party affiliation and was "equally frustrated by Republicans and Democrats at times".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Writing in 2005, David S. Broder described Eyman as "a personable young man who has made a cottage industry of organizing tax-limitation initiatives".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Political activities after 1999

2000

After the implementation of the I-695 tax cuts by the legislature, many local governments raised taxes and fees in 1999 to cover the shortfall.<ref name=":8">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Stating local governments largely raised property taxes to cover deficits and the legislature's use of the state budget surplus to cover shortfalls negated the need for tax increases a, Eyman sponsored Initiative 722 to reverse negate new property tax increases by capping yearly increases at 2%.<ref name=":8" /> Other taxes increases, like school levies, were not subject to I-722's tax increase limits.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The measure won 55.89% voter approval.<ref name=":8" />

2001

Citing Washington as being the "5th highest taxed state in the nation," with property taxes that "double every 7 to 9 years" from "decades" of yearly increases as high as 6%, Eyman filed Initiative 747 to limit property taxes in Washington.<ref name=":7" /> This measure sought to impose a 1% cap on annual property tax increases.<ref name=":7" /> It won with 57.6% voter approval.<ref name=":72">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 2007, after the initiative was declared unconstitutional by the Washington State Supreme Court, Governor Locke called a special session of the legislature to restore the 1% property tax increase limit.<ref name="renamed_from_747_on_20200901052748">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=":10">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It passed 39–9 in the Senate, and 86–8 in the House.<ref name=":10" />

2002

With Governor Locke's $30 car tab law expiring, Eyman sponsored Initiative 776. It was a re-boot of Initiative 695 and continued the theme of $30 Car Tabs.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It passed with 51.47%, gaining just over 900,000 votes.<ref name=":6">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

2005

Frustrated by the passage of tax increases from Governor Gregoire despite promises not to raise them, Eyman introduced Initiative 900 to increase the power of the Washington state auditor to conduct performance audits.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The initiative was approved by the voters by 56.4%, receiving nearly one million votes.<ref name=":5">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

A 2009 report found a mixed reception by local officials to the performance audits.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In December 2013, Democratic Washington state auditor Brian Sonntag said his office had identified almost $1.3 billion in potential five-year savings and increased revenue, after doing more than fifty performance audits and reviews.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

2006

On January 30, Eyman filed an initiative and a referendum, both intended to repeal a measure which added sexual orientation to the list of categories against which discrimination in housing, lending, and employment is banned in the state of Washington. In addition to seeking to remove "sexual orientation" from the law, Eyman pushed an initiative that would prohibit state government from requiring quotas or other preferential treatment for any person or group "based on sexual orientation or sexual preference". Eyman had announced he would be turning in the signatures for the gay-rights referendum on June 5. Instead, he showed up at the State Capitol dressed as Darth Vader and then announced he would turn in petitions the next day, at the deadline. He reportedly wasn't carrying any of the signatures, but instead was carrying signed petitions for another car-tab measure unrelated to the referendum. The next day, June 6, Eyman announced he had fallen more than 7,000 signatures short of the 112,440 required to get the measure placed on the November ballot. The state law that he had attempted to put to a public vote took effect on the same day.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

On January 9, Eyman filed an initiative to cap motor vehicle registration charges at $30 per year and repeal taxes and fees exceeding the $30 limit. On June 29, Eyman submitted 14,270 pages of signatures for this initiative to the secretary of state's office. On July 7, Eyman submitted an additional 2,716 pages. While at the front desk, and prior to the counting of any signatures, Eyman requested that the receptionist date stamp a piece of note pad with the number 300,353 on it.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

On July 23 Eyman charged the secretary of state's office with "... gross incompetence, purposeful sabotage, or blatant dishonesty" for the discrepancy of 34,347 signatures.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Along with the "receipt" with the number 300,353, Eyman claimed to have kept weekly logs of the number of signatures collected, and wrote the weight (although not the number of pages or signatures) of each box of petitions on the boxes themselves. The secretary of state's office could not provide the boxes, as they were recycled upon the cataloging of the signatures. It also denied the credibility of Eyman's receipt, noting that official counting had not even begun at that point, and calling attention to their own official receipts.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Eyman has been completely unable to substantiate his claim of submitting 300,353 signatures, as he claims to have not made copies of the petitions. On July 28, the secretary of state's office announced that it had conducted a random sample test of 4% of the signatures, finding an invalidation rate of 17.96%.<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref> Based upon this number, the initiative failed to make the ballot. A full check of all signatures collected confirmed this conclusion.

In August 2006 a Thurston County judge blocked a tongue-in-cheek initiative (I-831)<ref name="Washington Initiative 831">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> proposed by Seattle-area computer programmer and blogger David Goldstein that would have allowed voters to criticize – or support – Tim Eyman by declaring, "The citizens of the state of Washington do hereby proclaim that Tim Eyman is a horse's ass."<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

2007

In 2007, Eyman spearheaded Initiative 960, requiring a 2/3 majority for the legislature to raise taxes and legislative approval for the state to raise fees .<ref>Taxes? Fees? I-960 rattles Olympia (accessed: June 30, 2008)</ref> It passed with more than 51% of the vote.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The automated public notification system the initiative created a "political minefield" for legislators who proposed bills that would raise taxes or fees by creating public awareness about those costs.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

2008

In 2008, Eyman sponsored I-985, which had the purpose to reduce traffic congestion through various means including:

• Opening HOV/carpool lanes to all vehicles during non-peak hours, where "non-peak" is defined as any time outside of 6-9am and 3-6pm on Mondays through Fridays.
• Requiring local governments to synchronize traffic lights on heavily traveled arterials and streets.
• Clearing out accidents faster with expanded emergency roadside assistance, which would be funded by vehicle sales tax revenues.
• Restricting toll usage such that they can only be used on the freeway or bridge being tolled, with any surplus revenue to be redirected to other congestion relief efforts in the state.

Eyman submitted approximately 290,000 signatures to get the initiative on the ballot for the 2008 general election.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The initiative claims to follow the recommendations of a congestion study by state auditor Brian Sonntag, but former state transportation secretary Doug MacDonald stated that there is "no connection" between the study's findings and the initiative's goals.<ref>"I-985 often shuns traffic audit." The Olympian. August 24, 2008.</ref> Auditor Sonntag himself directly refuted the claim that I-985 implements the recommendations of the state congestion audit.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Critics argued that opening HOV lanes to more cars would not reduce congestion, due to induced demand,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and in fact would likely cause worse congestion since rush-hour traffic typically lasts longer than 3 hours each morning and night during weekdays.<ref name="acec">"ACEC Washington Endorses Proposition 1 and Opposes Initiative 985."Template:Dead link American Council of Engineering Companies of Washington. September 17, 2008.</ref> I-985 would also have stalled funding for the replacement of the Evergreen Point Floating Bridge, since the bridge's construction is currently dependent on tolls that will come from both the current bridge and the I-90 floating bridge. Since both bridges cross Lake Washington, requiring tolls on only one bridge would serve only to push traffic to the other.<ref name="acec" /> The initiative also directed no funding toward mass transit, counteracting the desired goals of the revised Proposition 1, which sought funding for expansion of light rail, commuter trains, and bus service in the Puget Sound region.<ref>"Stop I-985…before It Stops You!" Sierra Club, Cascade Chapter. August 14, 2008.</ref> Proponents of I-985 pointed out that highways I-405 and SR 167 have opened their HOV lanes during non peak hours without any noticeable problems.Template:Citation needed

The initiative was defeated 60% to 40% with only one of the state's 39 counties approving the initiative.<ref>"Eyman says he'll be back next year with new initiative." Seattle Times. November 6, 2008.</ref>

2009

In 2009, Eyman sponsored I-1033, which would apply a cap on revenue tied to the consumer price index and population.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The bill is similar to TABOR which was enacted in 1992, and then placed on a five-year timeout in 2005 by referendum, in Colorado. The initiative was rejected by voters.

2010

Eyman joined BanCams, a local advocacy group opposed to traffic ticketing cameras, in pursuing local initiatives to ban their use in multiple Washington cities, including Monroe, Bellingham and his hometown of Mukilteo.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=":9">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In 2010, the legislature exercised its power to suspend voter initiatives which have been in effect for two years and suspended 2007's Initiative 960, which required a 2/3 majority in the legislature to raise taxes. In response, Eyman introduced Initiative 1053 to reinstate the 2/3 majority requirement for the legislature to raise taxes, an approach voters supported since it was first proposed in 1993.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=":9" /><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The initiative was approved by voters with the highest margin of any of Eyman's previous initiatives with a 63.75% majority.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

2012

Eyman sponsored 25 initiatives for 2012, of which only Initiative 1185 made it onto the November general ballot.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It passed with 63.91% of the vote.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Approximately 95% of the money to support the initiative was reportedly from "corporate behemoths such as oil companies ... the national beer and soda-pop industries and big pharmaceutical firms."<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

2013

Eyman filed Initiative 517 on April 15, 2012, to "set penalties for interfering with signature-gatherers or signers."<ref name="sos.wa.gov"/> It was referred to 2013 session of legislature, which declined to pass it, sending it to the general election for November 5, 2013. Among those opposing I-517 were former Republican attorney general of Washington, Rob McKenna, publishing on smartergovernmentwa.org: Template:Quotation I-517 was also opposed by The Seattle Times,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The Columbian newspaper,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The Wenatchee World,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The Everett Herald,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The Olympian,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Washington Research Council,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The News Tribune,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Northwest Progressive Institute,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Seattle Seahawks,<ref name="komonews.com">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Seattle Sounders FC,<ref name="komonews.com" /> Washington State Democratic Party<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and many local Democratic organizations.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

The initiative lost by a margin of 63%-37%.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

2018

On March 15, 2018, Eyman introduced two referendum measures with the intent to put all or portions of a recently passed law EHB2957 that effectively phases out non-native finfish aquaculture to a public vote.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Eyman withdrew both referendum measures after Cooke Aquaculture, the only company farming nonnative Atlantic salmon in Washington, made it clear they did not want to be associated with his referendum campaign.<ref name="auto">Template:Cite news</ref>

From Joel Richardson, Vice President of Public Affairs for Cooke Aquaculture, on the company's involvement with the campaign--

Our company had no affiliation with this individual... Our efforts remain focused on exploring operational options which are helpful and respectful to our employees, tribal, state and community partner.

2019

Initiative 976 again sought to cap car tabs at $30 and end transportation benefit districts and other local vehicle taxes. It passed with 53% of the vote.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Like Eyman's 1999 Initiative 695 on the same topic, Initiative 976 was reviewed by the Washington Supreme Court, but the current governor of Washington declined to let it become law as the governor in 2000 did.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In February 2020, the King County Superior Court largely upheld I-976, but kept the measure on hold pending a ruling from the Washington State Supreme Court.<ref name="Groover">Template:Cite news</ref> On October 15, 2020 the Washington State Supreme Court struck down the initiative by ruling it unconstitutional because it "contains more than one subject and its subject is not accurately expressed in its title".<ref name="Groover"/>

2020

Template:See also In November 2019, Eyman announced that he was running for Governor of Washington in 2020, while making a public comment at a Sound Transit meeting,<ref name="KOMO">Template:Cite news</ref> as a Republican.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He formally entered the race as a Republican in a speech in his hometown Yakima, where he laid out his intention to run an aggressive campaign against Inslee, ignore his primary opponents, focus on conservative issues, and embrace the perceived similarities between him and President Donald Trump in terms of style, attitude and ability to weather attacks from the Left.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

During Governor Jay Inslee's 2020 shutdown of the state, Eyman used his campaign to challenge Inslee over numerous aspects of his restrictions and proclamations from his COVID-19 response, including distinguishing between “essential” and “non-essential” businesses and workers, the closure of schools and the requirement to wear masks.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> After Inslee ordered a statewide ban on gatherings of more than 250 people to prevent spread of COVID-19, Eyman promoted a public event for which he set a goal of 251 attendees.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Eyman finished fourth in the top-two primary, with 6.41 percent of the vote.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Legal issues

Payments from campaign contributions

In February 2002 the Seattle Post-Intelligencer reported that Eyman paid himself $165,000 from campaign donations, while claiming to be working for free.<ref>Seattle P-I Article February 1, 2002 http://www.seattlepi.com/local/56707_eyman01.shtml</ref> Eyman initially denied receiving payments, but later admitted wrongdoing.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The Washington State Public Disclosure Commission, the state equivalent of the Federal Election Commission charged Eyman with diverting $233,000 from his initiative campaigns.<ref>Seattle P-I Article April 6, 2002 http://www.seattlepi.com/local/65555_eyman06.shtml</ref> Eyman eventually settled with the Washington State Attorney General's office, paying $50,000 and accepting a lifetime ban on involvement in any political committee's financial accounts.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Seattle P-I Article August 14, 2002 http://www.seattlepi.com/opinion/82474_eymaned.shtml</ref> Since the settlement, Eyman's co-sponsors and chairmen in his Permanent Offense political committee became more actively involved; Monte Benham of Kennewick became the head of Permanent Offense, though Eyman remained involved politically.

Campaign reporting omissions

In March 2017, The Washington State Attorney General sued Eyman for $2.1M accusing Eyman of enriching himself with money donated to initiative campaigns.<ref>Template:Cite court</ref> The lawsuit stemmed from a 2015 investigation by the Public Disclosure Commission into Eyman's use of donations to different initiative campaigns.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In February 2020, Eyman was found to have been in violation of Washington campaign finance laws for at least the last seven years, concealing nearly $800,000 in political contributions.<ref name="The Seattle Times"/><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

On February 10, 2021, as a result of violating Washington campaign finance laws, Eyman was fined $2.6 million and barred from "managing, controlling, negotiating, or directing financial transactions for any political committee."<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In April 2021, Eyman was ordered to also pay $2.9M in legal fees related to the case; the judge described Eyman's violations as “numerous and particularly egregious” and said Eyman had used campaign contributions to enrich himself.<ref name=st-april>Template:Cite news</ref>

Chair theft

On February 13, 2019, Eyman was accused of stealing a $70 office chair from an Office Depot in Lacey.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> On February 19 the Lacey city prosecutor filed one count of theft against Eyman related to the incident. Through his attorney, Eyman released a statement that the incident was caused by his being distracted by telephone call when he returned to the store to pay for services and merchandise.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The charge was to be dismissed in March 2020, under the condition that Eyman committed no criminal activity for 9 months.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Personal life

As of 2022, Eyman lives in Bellevue, Washington.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Divorced from his wife, the couple are the adoptive parents of three children.<ref name="latimes" /> In 2018, Eyman filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.<ref name="seattletimes">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In December 2021, after continuing to default on fines due to the State of Washington, his bankruptcy was converted by a court to chapter 7 and the court ordered sale of assets to meet $5.4m in liabilities.<ref name=SeattleTimesDefault />

Initiatives and outcomes

Initiative	Year	Purpose	Election Result	Outcome
I-200	1998	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Passed with 58%
I-695	1999	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Passed with 56%	Declared unconstitutional
I-722	2000	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Passed with 56%	Declared unconstitutional
I-745	2000	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>||
citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>|| 2001 || Require state and local governments to limit property tax levy increases to 1% per year, unless an increase greater than this limit is approved by the voters at an election.<ref name=":7">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Passed with 57%	Declared unconstitutional in Superior Court and Supreme Court in 2007<ref name="renamed_from_747_on_20200901052748"/>
citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>|| 2002 ||Require license tab fees to be $30 per year for motor vehicles, including light trucks. Certain local-option vehicle excise taxes and fees used for roads and transit would be repealed.<ref name=":6" />	Passed with 51%	Declared unconstitutional<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
I-267	2002	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>		Failed to qualify for ballot
I-807	2003	Require a supermajority vote for all tax increases.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>		Failed to qualify for ballot
I-864	2003	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>		Failed to qualify for ballot
I-18	2003	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Passed
citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>|| 2004 || Authorize additional “electronic scratch ticket machines” to reduce property taxes. Authorize licensed non-tribal gambling establishments to operate the same type and number of machines as tribal governments, with a portion of tax revenue generated used to reduce state property taxes.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>||
I-900	2005	Direct the state auditor to conduct performance audits of state and local governments, and dedicate 0.16% of the state's portion of sales and use tax collections to fund these audits<ref name=":5" />	Passed With 56%	Passed by voters
Referendum 65	2006	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>		Failed to qualify for ballot
I-917	2006	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>		Failed to qualify for ballot
I-960	2007	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Passed with 51%	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
I-985	2008	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>||
I-1033	2009	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>||
I-1053	2010	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Declared unconstitutional in 2013.<ref name="Judge rules tax initiative violates constitution">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=":0" />
I-1125	2011	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>||
I-1185	2012	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
I-517	2012	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>||
Referenda 78 & 79	2018	Bring EHB2957, a bill to phase out Atlantic salmon net pens in Washington, to a public vote.		Withdrawn<ref name="auto" />
I-976	2019	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Declared unconstitutional<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>

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