By DAVID AMMONSAP Political Writer
OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) - Gov. Gary Locke gives a thumbs-up to a proposed $1 billion-a-year initiative for education, opposes both of Tim Eyman's latest ballot measures and has questions about a Hanford cleanup plan.
The governor gave that run-down Wednesday at a news conference to announce his plans for the rest of the year, including the campaign season.
Locke, who isn't running for re-election, said he'll campaign for others, including Democratic Sen. John Kerry for president, and weigh in on ballot measures.
The education plan, Initiative 884, would boost the sales tax by a penny on the dollar, increasing the state tax from 6.5 percent to 7.5 percent.
Locke said the plan would infuse badly needed new revenue into the education system, from preschool through the higher education system. The state is still pulling out of an economic slump and the treasury can't afford to make necessary increases without a dedicated new tax source, he said.
Locke has previously said he opposes a referendum being sponsored by the Washington Education Association to overturn a newly enacted law authorizing independent, publicly financed charter schools.
The governor spoke against both of Eyman's plans to roll back property taxes. The first would cut many local levies by 25 percent; the second would cut the state share of the property tax by perhaps $400 million a year, plugging the revenue gap through taxes on expanded off-reservation gambling.
Eyman's initiative would allow non-tribal businesses, such as bowling alleys, bars and minicasinos, to operate as many electronic slot machines as Indian tribes are authorized to have. Washington's 27 tribes run more than 13,000 of the faux slots.
''We should not become another Las Vegas,'' Locke said. ''I will be very actively in opposition to that ballot measure. To dangle the proceeds of Las Vegas-style gambling in the state of Washington in exchange for lowering property taxes is not a good trade.''
Referring to Eyman's other plan, Locke said he's concerned about the ability of local governments to make ends meet if voters keep limiting or even cutting taxes.
Eyman said Locke's criticism was ''beyond stupid.'' The governor has no trouble supporting gambling if it fattens state coffers, as with the lottery, and recently signed legislation allowing on-line betting on horse racing, he said.
''This initiative doesn't cost the government a penny and the governor still gets his underwear in a bunch. If he doesn't support tax relief when it doesn't cost government a thing, when would he ever?''
On the other measure, Eyman said local government can follow the example that Locke himself set last year, solving a $2.7 billion budget hole by prioritizing and cutting.
Locke raised questions about the Hanford nuclear reservation initiative, I-297, but stopped short of opposing it. The Protect Washington measure would stop the federal government from using the state as a radioactive waste repository until old waste is cleaned up.
Locke said he sympathizes with the goal, but believes it probably is unconstitutional for a state to impose such a ban on the government.
Gerald Pollet, director of Heart of America Northwest, the I-297 sponsor, said, ''It's good news that the governor is with us on the intent. Our attorneys are persuaded that it is completely constitutional - and it's based on legislation that Locke was co-sponsor of in the Legislature a decade ago.''
The governor opposes a ''Top 2'' initiative being circulated by the state Grange as a replacement for the Montana-style primary Locke created this month.
The courts have thrown out the state's blanket primary system that allowed voters to choose their favorite for each office, regardless of party label. Lawmakers sent the governor legislation that created the Top 2 system, with the Montana plan as a backup. Locke vetoed the Top 2 portion and left the Montana system.
The Top 2 plan would continue to allow crossover voting, and would advance the top two vote-getters for each office to the November ballot. The Montana system limits voters to one party's primary, but keeps their ballot selection private.
On the Net:
Governor: http://www.governor.wa.gov
AP-DS-04-22-04 0256EDT