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Statements from Reps. Smith and Bailey on
governor's State of the State address
After
the governor's State of the State address today, Reps.
Norma Smith and
Barbara Bailey issued the following statements:
Statement from Rep. Norma Smith, R-Clinton:
“During this challenging economic situation, I know
Washington families are facing tough times. I was pleased to hear the
governor address the important role we all can play in serving our
fellow citizens and neighbors in need. It is important to remember as we
face this significant budget deficit that revenue in Washington is still
growing by roughly five percent. If we as a legislative body can
practice more responsible spending and make strategic cuts, we can still
ensure our top priorities are funded as necessary. My priorities are,
and will continue to be, education and protecting the most vulnerable in
our communities, while providing the infrastructure necessary for our
state to fully function.
“I remain committed to working toward effective solutions
to the challenges we are facing. It’s not enough to talk about the tough
road we have in front of us. We must learn from the past, and focus on
the bright future ahead for Washington state. The governor and the
Legislature can and should play key roles in ensuring that businesses,
small and large, have the ability to not only retain jobs in our private
sector, but also grow them through ingenuity and innovation. We have a
great opportunity ahead to prepare our state to weather any storm, and I
look forward to being a constructive part of this monumental task.”
Statement from Rep. Barbara Bailey, R-Oak Harbor:
“Our governor’s State of the State address echoed a lot
of the ideas I and my fellow Republicans have long been advocating for.
For example, job creation, rebuilding roads, balancing our state budget
based on priorities, and reforming state government. If we had been
doing these things the last four years, we wouldn’t be facing a six
billion dollar budget shortfall and seeing more people out of work.
“There is a time for talk, and a time for action. We need
to act now if we are going to help struggling families and employers
through these tough times, and get our state finances in order. This
starts by not raising taxes or fees, and I’m glad to hear our governor
is committed to this approach. Through adversity comes an opportunity to
commit to a more efficient state government that is responsive to the
needs of its people. I look forward to being part of the solutions that
will make this goal a reality.”
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For more information, contact:
John
Handy, Assistant Director: (360) 786-5758
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