This gal's is so full of it, and she still wants more.....

rationalize away

Worst governor EVER. Dixie Lee Ray was a walk in the park.

Some of the alleged cuts include cost of living increases state workers were slated to receive, but didn't, and they took a 3% pay cut. The pay cut is definitely a cut. COLAs, or cost of living adjustments are periodically expected in a lot of fields of work. If you expect to earn more next year, and then you don't, it sure feels like a cut to future income. So that seems debatable to me as to whether it's an actual budget cut or not.

The more important subject, and I'm surprised it hasn't had it's own thread here yet, is the Gov's proposed 1/2 cent temporary (3 yr) sales tax increase to help close the budget gap. Given that a "cuts only" budget will further slash funds for education, particularly higher ed, how do you think the budget gap should be closed? When I looked at the budget changes to college education over the past 3 years, I'm inclined to vote for the increase so long as it includes the sunset clause. I don't know when the economy will recover, but I want any tax surcharge to require continual renewal; otherwise it sunsets.

Sg

Sorry Dogfish, Dixie was a disaster. A direct comparison isn't possible. They presided over vastly differing conditions.

Sg

Washington is the 18th best run state in the Union; so regardless of how bad she's doing, there are 32 states worse off than us.

Thank you PollyAnnaHarley.

I am for no tax increases what so ever. Government is bloated and over reaching and needs to be cut back. It's painful for all who have become dependent, but necessary for everyone's future.

+1, plenty of opportunity with spending and expense cuts before taxes are increased.

At least we have that going for us.

I don't remember Dixie Lee Ray outright lying to the state population. She was just plain stuipid, and unsuited for the job. The current governor has done that many times. "I won't ever support a State income tax." "The State's fiscal condition is fine." She is a smart laday but she makes dumb moves, which makes her actions worse.

There are others, but fiscally speaking, the current governor has been 8 years of tragedy.

Maybe we should do this--
http://www.businessinsider.com/washington-state-joins-movement-for-public-banking-2011-1

It seemed to work for North Dakota. I'm sure Bank of America is fighting this to the extreme.

I can't figure out the disconnect people have between state economy's and the national economy. I'm not a big fan of Gregoire but she sure as hell isn't responsible for the Wall St fraud that crashed the economy and is the root cause of states states financial problems.

C'mon Keta... blamin' EVERYTHING on the guv is much more fun for the wingnuts.

Just wait 'til Sam Reed or Rob McKenna get elected and have to preside over the very same economic conditions.

You won't hear a peep outta slappy and the rest of 'em.

yah, like it will be a clean election, this time.

They will sell out to the Tribes, maybe even more so, because the threat of the Tribe's stopping/constraining development to protect fish is a greater fear to the business community.

Found this to be interesting
Washington is still scheduled to spend about $30 billion in its current general fund budget, more than the last budget cycle and only $1.5 billion less than the peak in the 2007-09 budget.

North Dakota also has a bit of an oil boom going on, which is one of the main reasons they are fiscally healthy.

Would you really want Gregoire, or someone like her, balancing your personal checkbook? Public banking is a non-starter.

The “budget cuts” the Ds talk about have always been lies and the overall state budget has never gone down and you can look at the states own website to see the yearly spending increases. State tax revenue is increasing at 5.5% a year and if our personal incomes where doing that in the great recession 99% of the people would be ecstatic. http://fiscal.wa.gov/budgets.aspx

So, will those of you who are convinced that the state budget should be balanced exclusively by additional spending cuts please stipulate the amount of the cuts and where they should be applied? It will be interesting to see if you actually know what you are talking about or are just generically so full of yourself that you're certain you are right without knowing a damn thing about the state budget.

Sg

You didn't mention how butt ugly Dixie was. I would search up a picture, but that would just be cruel.

Wasn't she a big Bull ?

i don't think the governor would run the bank and it would be more like a public central bank supplying money to local private banks instead of the Bank of America holding all the state funds. Did you read the article?