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Referendum 51 – The Gorton Perspective
Washington’s Senior Senator for 18 years, Slade Gorton delivered the view of one of the co-chairperson’s of the Referendum 51 issue at Friday’s meeting. Gorton’s political service to the state included eight years as Attorney General and terms as a legislator. Senator Gorton was raised in Chicago and educated on the East Coast, but, after graduation moved, to Washington to follow his career. Chuck Kimbrough, introduce the Senator, saying that “all corners of the state have benefited from his work on their behalf.”
Governor Gary Locke met with Slade in March and invited him to become “a co-chairperson for Referendum 51. I was happy to accept the invitation. I can’t remember any ballot measure that is more important.”
 The Senator went on to say that “Referendum 51 is not a house, it’s a foundation. We in this state have consistently and constantly fallen behind in developing and updating our transportation infrastructure. There is a great deal of money in the Referendum. It is funded by a 9-cent increase in the gas tax. It is true that some of the projects outlined in the measure may not be completed. But specific parts of the 405 projects will be done. And the 405/167 intersection will be completed.”
Referendum 51 will result in “safer highways, dealing with many of the congested areas in the state. Drivers will see traffic relief in many parts of the state. There are well over 100 projects targeted in this measure. Mandated in the legislation are frequent audits and progress reports to the public. All of this is unprecedented. The Legislature passed the referendum, the people have the opportunity to vote on it, and the measure calls for frequent audits and progress reports. This is unprecedented.”
Gorton said that accountability is a priority. “I have traveled the state in these past few months. I know where the negative votes are. I’m concerned about the distortion of how the referendum is viewed. It’s said that the environmental supporters are opposed to the proposition … that’s maybe as much as 5%. There’s a far greater number voting no who are fundamentally opposed to any tax increase. The second-largest group of negative voters are the cynics.”
The cynics recognize the need, but say the state has wasted all the money it has had to improve transportation. “And, then there’s a third group – the ‘I’ve got a better idea’ group. I would not have written the Referendum the way it’s been put together. But, the perfect is always the enemy of the good. We have only two choices: yes or no. If we vote no, the legislature will not come up with a better idea next year. If we vote yes, we can always build more on success than failure.”
Referendum 51 is not the complete answer, but it begins the process of building a foundation.
The balance of the Senator’s presentation was answering questions from the audience. He said, “We’re not going to get a majority from Eastern Washington, but there are several high profile projects that the people should support there.”
Gorton reminded his audience that a spring election is set to determine the fate of the 520 corridor. “This election will determine funding for any improvements on 520. As for the Alaskan Way Viaduct, there is no construction money in 51 for this project. This is far more expensive that any project awaiting action. Referendum 51 provides for real projects on 405.”
There is no money in R-51 for transit. This is a statewide election.
The money raised by this measure goes to transportation only. The gas tax can only be applied to highway projects. R-51 raises money for four new ferries. The use of these tax dollars is “literally protected by the Washington Constitution.”
Gorton took a slap at Initiative 776, which will “take away funds already voted on for the highway construction fund.”
Gorton concluded that the “campaign is going reasonably well. I bet it will pass, but it will be very close.”
For his presentation, Senator Gorton was given a certificate indicating a donation has been made in his name for 240 doses of polio vaccine in Rotary’s battle to eradicate the disease by 2005. Thanks to Chuck Kimbrough for his introduction.
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