Guest View
We are all on a sinking ship and the only life raft is to… Idaho??
Published on Thu, Mar 18, 2010 by Elizabeth ScottRead More Guest View
People across the state must be scratching their heads and wondering, “Now what?”
Your Washington state representatives, driven primarily by the ever-so-close-to-supermajority of Democrats, have really gotten themselves in a bind.
Voters are understandably outraged at the legislature's dithering regarding the best way to balance the budget when they have had ample time to make difficult but solid decisions.
Instead of tackling the budget as their first agenda item last January (or even better, a year ago January, when Republicans warned them that state spending was unsustainable), somehow our elected representatives found time to debate a variety of inanities from marijuana legalization to relabeling 'at-hope' children, formerly known as 'at-risk' children... but why speak plainly when you can spend more money obfuscating?
Every year since becoming governor, Christ Gregoire has submitted a budget that exceeds projected revenue. The Legislature, every year she's been in office, has one-upped her by increasing the budget even further. These increases far outpace the rate of inflation and population growth for our state.
Our state economy is a sinking ship, with a spiraling budget deficit that is more than the entire budget of our neighbor, Idaho. Our state's debt, per resident, is twice the national average, and even more than California's, per person.
Yet the Democrats' standard tax-and-spend attempt at a solution is helping to shove more of our employers over the abyss and out of our state. As a result, Idaho is now sending letters to local Snohomish County small business owners inviting them to check out Idaho's friendlier business climate.
Our elected representatives should have listened to the people, who said with I-960, "Live within your means and stick to State Constitutional priorities: education, public safety, and caring for our most vulnerable."
There is enough revenue to accomplish these goals (thanks partly to the $590 million in new state and local taxes and fees in 2009 alone), but instead they are wasting our tax dollars on running the state liquor stores and hiring more employees for Governor Gregoire's office.
Say goodbye to more real jobs while the Democrat-led legislature does their best to ignore the people's groans and add fuel to the fire, with even more taxes on people and businesses.
Remember the 787 line? Remember in November!
Elizabeth Scott is a 10 year resident of Edmonds, WA. Last year, she declared her candidacy to run for State House representative for the 21st LD against current representative Marko Liias. You can visit her site at "http://www.elizabeth4state.com/"www.elizabeth4state.com
Your Washington state representatives, driven primarily by the ever-so-close-to-supermajority of Democrats, have really gotten themselves in a bind.
Voters are understandably outraged at the legislature's dithering regarding the best way to balance the budget when they have had ample time to make difficult but solid decisions.
Instead of tackling the budget as their first agenda item last January (or even better, a year ago January, when Republicans warned them that state spending was unsustainable), somehow our elected representatives found time to debate a variety of inanities from marijuana legalization to relabeling 'at-hope' children, formerly known as 'at-risk' children... but why speak plainly when you can spend more money obfuscating?
Every year since becoming governor, Christ Gregoire has submitted a budget that exceeds projected revenue. The Legislature, every year she's been in office, has one-upped her by increasing the budget even further. These increases far outpace the rate of inflation and population growth for our state.
Our state economy is a sinking ship, with a spiraling budget deficit that is more than the entire budget of our neighbor, Idaho. Our state's debt, per resident, is twice the national average, and even more than California's, per person.
Yet the Democrats' standard tax-and-spend attempt at a solution is helping to shove more of our employers over the abyss and out of our state. As a result, Idaho is now sending letters to local Snohomish County small business owners inviting them to check out Idaho's friendlier business climate.
Our elected representatives should have listened to the people, who said with I-960, "Live within your means and stick to State Constitutional priorities: education, public safety, and caring for our most vulnerable."
There is enough revenue to accomplish these goals (thanks partly to the $590 million in new state and local taxes and fees in 2009 alone), but instead they are wasting our tax dollars on running the state liquor stores and hiring more employees for Governor Gregoire's office.
Say goodbye to more real jobs while the Democrat-led legislature does their best to ignore the people's groans and add fuel to the fire, with even more taxes on people and businesses.
Remember the 787 line? Remember in November!
Elizabeth Scott is a 10 year resident of Edmonds, WA. Last year, she declared her candidacy to run for State House representative for the 21st LD against current representative Marko Liias. You can visit her site at "http://www.elizabeth4state.com/"www.elizabeth4state.com