Over the past six years or more voters have turned down every tax cutting initiative while at the same time voting for more taxes such as the 10 cent increase in the gasoline tax and the initiative to reduce class sizes. Add to this all of the local park levys that have passed along with other local intitiatives makes one wonder whether I-960 would even pass today. My guess is it wouldn't, and answers the question I heard Dori Monson pose today, "I can't understand why more people are not up in arms over the suspension of I-960".
I will theorize that since the economy has gone into the toilet more people are either experiencing or know someone who is experiencing what it means to be vulnerable for the first time in their lives. Perhaps people no longer have the stomach to cut more people off of basic services that alow them some level of medical care and a means to find some shelter and something to eat.
I was down at the Legislature last month. It is not lost on any of them the risk they take by suspending I-960 and raising taxes. Acutally for once I applaud some of them for putting their own re-election on the line rather then taking an all cuts approach like last year that left many of the vulnerable out in the cold.
I'll address this one since I disagree. Specualtion on your part as to whether or not I-960 would pass today is a mute point. The point is that it is law. Passed by the will of the people. If you don't like it, offer a counter initiative this November and we'll see whether or not it would pass. Until then, the legislature should respect the law if they expect their constituents to do the same thing.
Why is it that those who favor budget increases always fall back to scaring the crap out of voters by linking budget cuts to throwing the poor and weak out onto the street? Are social services the only expendtiture of the state? The state budget has more than doubled under the wicked witches watch. Were we not taking care of our destitute in 2000? Administrative costs in nearly every state department are due for a haircut. Is it really neccessary for state departments like DSHS to buy brand new hybrids when their old ones hit 60k miles? The state has no property they could sell to private hands? I could go on and on.
8 billion is a lot yes. Small cuts here and there will not make 8 billion. But small drops do eventually fill a bucket. For the state gov't to not be taking proactive measures to reduce cost now is imature and intellectually lazy. Every penny matters and until frivilous costs are addressed the problem will only become worse. Raising taxes would be a disaterous policy to implement. Now, or anytime in the future. If you want to see unemplyment skyrocket in this state, raise taxes on businesses and implement a state income tax.
Cuts don't have to mean throwing single mother's and their children out in the cold. I'm tired of hearing that excuse every time cuts are brought up. It's a straw man.
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