Initiative proponent Tim Eyman, speaking in front of the Washington Transportation Commission in Bellevue, argued (despite a request by commission chair Philip Parker that people testifying limit their comments to a proposal to toll the bridge, given that the state attorney general will issue a ruling on the impact of 1053 on things like tolls next week) that his Initiative 1053, passed this November, bars the commission from passing tolls on the 520 bridge. Eyman said that 1053 delegates that authority to the state legislature.

"The most impactful decision that the government can make is the decision to take more of your money," Eyman said. "To normal mortals, it seems pretty darn clear that the only way you can take more of our money is to use the representative democracy process down in Olympia."

Eyman's statements today were more measured than yesterday's, when he got involved in a spirited back-and-forth with commissioners over whether 1053 barred the commission from raising ferry rates.

Commissioner Dick Ford emphasized that the commission wasn't taking any final action today. "This is the first in a series of steps. The final action will be in January," when the commission actually adopts a final set of tolls, Ford said.