Michael Dunmire, 60, a wealthy investment executive from the Seattle suburb of Woodinville, has contributed nearly $240,000 to Eyman's Initiative 900 and says more could be on the way. The initiative, now circulating for signatures, would require regular performance audits of state agencies and programs.

Dunmire previously contributed $20,000 to a separate salary fund that benefits Eyman and his business partners, Jack and Mike Fagan of Spokane.

Dunmire's I-900 contributions, given in installments of as much as $80,000 during the last three months, account for the lion's share of the campaign's treasury.

Public Disclosure Commission records show that Eyman's committee, Voters Want More Choices, has collected $334,661 so far, including the $239,494 from Michael and Phyllis Dunmire.

"It's really cool," Eyman said in an interview. "He's a good guy, a supporter who wants to make a difference. A lot of people are helping out, but obviously he's being VERY helpful. I'm really thankful.

"Having his help has allowed us to make the case."

The latest PDC report shows that most of the I-900 treasury has been spent. Eyman said that has gone for printing, mailings and paying a Federal Way company, Citizen Solutions, to collect voter signatures.

I-900 needs about 225,000 valid signatures by July 2 in order to earn a place on the fall ballot.

Eyman said 1,641 donations have been received, averaging $191.95.

Dunmire said he has admired Eyman's work ever since he pushed through I-695, the car tab measure, in 1999, and has been contributing modest sums to some of the efforts.

"I'm 60 years old and have been very successful in business and wanted to do something to give back to the community," Dunmire said in an interview. "He's the only one out there who does something. Everybody talks. Eyman gets things done. He produces results."

He said he collaborated with Eyman on the choice of this year's initiative.

"Tim's more into tax cuts, but I said performance audits (are) the ultimate tax cut, to make sure our money is spent wisely. In business, you'd be hard-pressed to find an organization that didn't have a good internal audit department."

He said he was enthused after hearing the issue described on conservative talk radio and consulting the Evergreen Freedom Foundation, a conservative think tank in Olympia that has long advocated giving the state auditor power to study the effectiveness of state programs, not just their books.

The Legislature this week passed a performance audit bill, but Eyman and Dunmire said the initiative would be considerably stronger.

Dunmire said he's committed to seeing the measure on the ballot and is willing to consider even more donations.

He said he hopes to line up a dozen other well-heeled conservatives who can write big checks for Eyman initiatives and other public policy efforts.

"With 3,000 millionaires at Microsoft and people at various other firms, there have to be people who are willing to make a difference," he said. "This is a very liberal state, and this would be a kind of counterbalance to the way things get railroaded through."

Dunmire, who has degrees in engineering and business, is principal of the Tacoma-based Benchmark Plus Partners, which manages investments, including "super-enhanced" index funds, for institutional and individual wealthy investors.

Eyman critic David Goldstein, a Seattle software designer and blogger, said Dunmire is "basically propping up Eyman. People should finally get it through their heads that Eyman is not some grassroots guy. He is a front for the monied special interests.

"It's not scary. It's disappointing. There is no way he gets on the ballot without a Sugar Daddy. Clearly, Eyman is no longer a grassroots activist in any way whatsoever. For two years running, he couldn't get a grassroots initiative on the ballot."

Another longtime critic, Christian Sinderman, said, "It should raise your eyebrow when a single individual bankrolls an initiative. The only thing standing between Tim Eyman and obscurity is Michael Dunmire."

Other well-heeled donors have helped bankroll previous non-Eyman statewide initiatives. Those donors have included Jim and Fawn Spady and Microsoft billionaires Bill Gates and Paul Allen.