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Click here to download Republican response speech
(Speech is also attached at end of release)
Kristiansen delivers State of the State Republican
response
Snohomish
lawmaker calls for setting budget priorities, resisting tax increases,
allowing free-market solutions to work
Calling upon the
Legislature and the governor to make better, responsible budget
decisions,
Rep. Dan
Kristiansen responded today to Gov. Christine Gregoire's State
of the State address by saying that expanding state government will not
solve Washington's economic woes.
Kristiansen, who serves as
chairman of the House Republican Caucus, delivered the Republican
response following the governor's address this afternoon.
The Snohomish lawmaker
said that although the national economy contributed to Washington's
projected $7 billion budget deficit, the severity of the crisis is
largely due to mistakes made by the Legislature.
"On the governor's watch,
the Democrat majority in the Legislature increased spending by
thirty-three percent over the last four years. We went from a two
billion dollar surplus to a nearly seven billion dollar deficit in the
last two years. That's a nine billion dollar swing in the budget," said
Kristiansen. "This is poor stewardship of the tax dollars you pay."
Kristiansen noted that
revenues are expected to increase in the coming biennium by 5 percent,
yet the projected budget would still outspend that anticipated increase.
"It took Washington 114
years to grow state spending to twenty-five billion dollars. But it only
took four years to increase spending by more than eight billion
dollars," he added. "The Legislature is spending at a rate faster than
the increased revenue. That level of spending is unsustainable."
Kristiansen said the
Legislature must avoid repeating these mistakes if it is serious about
helping Washington's economy. One important component of economic
recovery, he said, is to stand firm against tax or fee increases in the
budget that emerges from the Legislature.
"It's time to eliminate
the option of raising taxes -- take it entirely off the table,"
Kristiansen noted. "Taxpayers and employers did not create this crisis
and they should not be expected to bail out state government."
Kristiansen added that any
economic stimulus packages to pass from the Legislature should emphasize
job growth in the private sector -- not more tax dollars being poured
into expansion of state government.
"Republicans agree that we
need to stimulate the economy in ways that will help businesses in the
private sector retain and create new jobs. We cannot dig our way out of
a budget deficit by spending tax dollars to increase government jobs.
That's part of what contributed to this deficit in the first place,"
said Kristiansen.
The 39th District
representative said the budget crisis can be solved by forcing the state
to live within its means -- now and in the future.
"Answers to our current
economic system should not involve bail outs," he said. "It comes down
to setting priorities, cutting non-essential services to reduce
spending, and allowing the free-market system that our nation was
founded upon to work and flourish."
Kristiansen said he's
optimistic about the future of the state and added that Republicans are
ready to reach out with solutions. He called on the Legislature to "come
together united toward the needs of the people." But he also said it
will be important for citizens to hold lawmakers accountable for the
budget decisions made during the legislative session.
"Answers to our economic
situation are easy, but it's the will to do what is right that seems so
hard to find," said Kristiansen. "So I'm asking citizens to pay close
attention to the work of the Legislature, the governor and her
administration as we address the budget challenges and critical issues
over the next four months and beyond. Become involved and hold us, your
legislators, accountable.
"We must soberly face the
consequences of bad decisions made by state government. As legislators,
we must remember that all the policy decisions we make in Olympia are
paid for with revenues generated from a sound economy. Our commitment as
Republicans is to preserve a free society, hold up the principles of
free-market solutions, not solutions that come from government
bureaucracies, and allow our capitalistic economic system to correct
itself," concluded Kristiansen.
# # #
Good afternoon from
Olympia… I'm State
Representative Dan Kristiansen, House Republican chairman. I represent
the 39th Legislative District, which includes parts of King, Snohomish,
Skagit and Whatcom counties.
For the next few minutes, I'd like to
share with you some straight talk about the challenges our citizens and
our state are facing - and about what brought us to this point.
We as Republicans stand for protection and
preservation of a free society, a free-market economic system, limited
government, low taxes, a minimal bureaucracy, and the concept that
government should do for individuals only those things they cannot do
for themselves.
Individuals are more creative, more resourceful and more enlightened
than governments, and free markets work best for the economic health of
any people. We all
know the current economic situation in our state is serious. There are a
record number of Washingtonians out of work. Businesses are suffering.
People are wondering how they're going to pay their mortgage. They're
worried about how they are going to afford their medical bills. Those
who have been working all their lives are now wondering when they will
be able to retire.
However, I'm optimistic
about the future. There is hope. And I'm confident brighter days are
ahead. Answers to our economic situation are easy, it’s the will to do
what’s right that seems so hard to find.
We must remember that revenue to pay for
our education, health care and transportation depends upon not only a
healthy economy, but good budgeting practices by the Legislature and
governor. So today,
I'm asking you to pay attention to what is happening in Olympia, become
involved, and hold us, your legislators, accountable.
We've just heard from the governor. We
have a budget deficit that could well exceed a record seven billion
dollars. How did we
get in this mess?
The governor has said it is the result of the national economy.
But that's only part of
the story. Let's go back a few years.
The severity of our state budget crisis is
largely due to mistakes made right here in the Legislature.
Under the governor's watch, the Democrat
majority in the Legislature increased spending by 33 percent over the
last four years.
We went from a two-billion
dollar surplus just two years ago to nearly a seven-billion dollar
deficit today.
That's a nine-billion dollar swing in the budget in only two years. This
is poor stewardship of the tax dollars you pay.
The Legislature was spending at a rate
faster than the revenue increases.
In terms of our own pocketbooks, that's
like hoping for a 33 percent increase in your paycheck and spending to
that level, but only getting a five percent pay raise. Your paycheck has
increased by five percent, but now you have spent far more than you're
earning. This level
of spending is unsustainable, and legislators knew this when the budget
was passed two years ago.
It took Washington 114
years to grow state spending up to $25 billion dollars. But it only took
four years to increase spending by more than $8 billion dollars.
So that's the history. It's useful to
understand it so we can move forward with success and not repeat our
mistakes, or prolong the mess we are already in.
We have to come together as a Legislature
united toward the needs of the people.
I know you care about keeping your homes
and your jobs, putting food on your table, making your family budget
stretch, affordable healthcare and sending your kids to college and
these are some of our important priorities.
As Republicans, we begin by agreeing with
one important principle in the governor's budget proposal – NO tax or
fee increases. It's
time to eliminate the option of raising taxes- take it entirely off the
table.
You the taxpayers and employers did not create this crisis and you
should not be expected to bail out state government.
As Ronald Reagan said, “We shouldn’t look
to government to solve our problems, government is the problem. “ Too
much regulation and a bloated bureaucracy have contributed to
overspending. The
governor also talked about economic stimulus. Republicans agree and the
best way to help the economy is to help business retain and create new
jobs.
We can't dig our way out
of a budget deficit by spending tax dollars to increase government jobs.
That's part of what contributed to this deficit in the first place.
As Winston Churchill noted, “For a nation to try to tax itself into
prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself
up by the handle.”
Solving our budget crisis and moving us forward toward a better economy
comes down to setting priorities - and forcing the state to live within
its means - now and in the future.
This is good stewardship
of your taxpayer dollars.
My dad and I operated a business together
for a number of years and employed many families. Each year, we would
throw a Christmas party. Besides thanking our employees for the fine
work they did, it gave me an opportunity to see their families and
reflect upon my responsibilities as an employer.
Every car payment, every house payment,
money that paid for the education of their children, were all based on
my ability to make good decisions that kept them employed. For me, the
Christmas party was more of a reality check, because I came to realize
all these people trusted in me with their livelihood.
The toughest part for me was if I had to
lay someone off or reduce wages, because of an economic downturn, or I
had made poor budget decisions. Making these decisions can be
gut-wrenching.
Government needs to think in this same way. Every decision the
Legislature makes affects you, the citizens of our state. Short-term
fixes will have long-term repercussions. It’s time to cut non-essential
services to reduce spending.
So I'm asking you to pay close attention
to the work of the Legislature, the governor and her administration as
we address the budget challenges and other critical issues over the next
four months and beyond.
Our commitment today as
Republicans -- as Washingtonians -- is to hold up the principles of
free-market solutions, not solutions that come from government
bureaucracies; to preserve a free society, allowing our capitalistic
economic system to correct itself. And to limit government to do only
what the citizens cannot do for themselves.
We as Republicans are
committed to these principles. Doing what is right -- NOT -- what is
political should always be the standard.
We must soberly face the consequences of
bad decisions made by state government. Answers to our current economic
situation should not involve bail outs, but to cut spending and allow
the free-market system that our nation was founded upon to work and
flourish. As legislators we must remember that all the policy decisions
we make in Olympia are paid for with revenues generated from a sound
economy.
It’s been an honor to
address you, the citizens of Washington.
Thank you!
For more information, contact:
John
Sattgast, Senior Information Officer: (360) 786-7257
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