Eyman in debt while chalking up wins

Tim Eyman may have pulled off one of his major victories this week with voter approval of Initiative 1053, to require a two-thirds vote of the legislature to raise taxes, but he’s put himself in a financial bind.

Eyman took out a second mortgage on his home to finance the campaign and spent  $250,000 of his own money  to get the initiative on the ballot and passed.

In a letter to supporters, Eyman said  “I’m not independently wealthy so this debt weighs  heavily on my mind.  Now that I-1053 is poised to very effectively protect us from higher taxes in the next session and beyond, I ask that you please help retire this outstanding debt.”

Eyman said he had 1384 other monetary contributors to the campaign in addition to his own money.

Initiative 1053 wasn’t Eyman’s only win of the night.   He waged a campaign to get a measure on the City of Mukelteo’s ballot to outlaw red light cameras in the city.  It passed by more than 70 percent.   Eyman said he’s now thinking of running a statewide campaign to get rid of red light cameras all across the state.

Of course, he needs to retire his other debt first.