SEATTLE — Initiative 976's sponsor Tim Eyman says he plans to run for governor in 2020.
The announcement came during the Sound Transit board meeting Thursday, where members decided to wait until the courts resolve Initiative 976 before making any project cuts.
The $30 car tab initiative passed despite the pleas of transportation leaders about potentially devastating cuts. Much of the voter unrest stems from how the agency and the state calculates car tabs in King, Pierce and Snohomish Counties to pay for Sound Transit 3, a $54 billion tax package that funds mass transit expansion.
Eyman used the meeting as a bit of a springboard. He said the comments from the Board were indicative of why voters are so angry.
Eyman met with reporters to announce he will file a bid on Monday to run for governor against Gov. Jay Inslee. He said he'll have an "issue-oriented campaign." It was a reversal from when he ruled out the idea just two weeks ago.
"For 21 years I said I would never run for public office, I wouldn’t do it, and I’ve done 21 years of political activism," said Eyman, "and I feel like it was like an internship to learn how exactly, how dirty the process is, how corrupt it really seems to be."
The city of Seattle and multiple agencies will testify before a judge on Tuesday seeking an injunction to delay the implementation of I-976 next month.
