April 25, 2009

Rep. Glenn Anderson comments on Democrat budget
Spending more than 2007-09, but lacking priorities and sustainability

The Washington State House of Representatives tonight passed the Democrats' state operating budget. Rep. Glenn Anderson, R-Fall City, voted against the budget and said this during floor debate:

"I have many friends on the other side of the aisle and I know they have struggled with this budget, but this budget tonight is a failure. At a time when the citizens of Washington are facing uncertain economic times and wondering where their families will be in the next few years, this budget leaves them on the hook for increased taxes in the next budget.

"This budget, as it is structured, creates a $10 billion deficit in the near future. In the 2011 budget we'll start out with a $5 billion deficit right off the top - the same place we started this year. We will not have the billions in federal funds coming to state, yet we spent the money, not to create jobs, but to pay for expanded government programs.

"Democrats also used deficit financing by issuing new bonds for projects, and raiding capital budget accounts and using the money for the operating budget. They deferred a $449 million pension fund payment to balance the budget. This unfunded liability is growing, and could double the cost of pension fund payments in the future. Worse, they increased tuition costs by almost 30 percent on young adults - the very people we will expect to pay the debt this budget creates.

"This budget is not a success. This is not the structure we can believe will be sustained for the long-term. This budget is a trigger for the economic suicide of our state."

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