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March 17, 2000 11:45 AM, EST

A Washington court ruled against Initiative 695, the measure approved by voters in November that greatly reduced the state’s motor vehicle excise tax and required a public vote for all new tax and fee increases.

Superior Court Judge Robert Alsdorf in King County ruled March 7 that the initiative was unconstitutional.

Alsdorf said it violated the state constitution’s “single-subject rule” for initiatives by dealing with two topics. The judge also said the referendum process set up by the initiative, automatically requiring public votes for any new taxes or fees no matter how small, was unconstitutional.

I-695 replaced Washington’s annual 2.78% tax on the manufacturer’s state value of a truck with an annual $30 fee ("Washington Vehicle Tax Killed," 11-8, p. 5). The same flat fee replaced the 2.2% tax rate most car owners paid.

For the full story, see the Mar. 20 print edition of Transport Topics. .