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Republican budget leader
dismayed by overspending, lack of cooperation
Rep. Gary
Alexander today
cut through Democrats’ praise for their new two-year operating budget
agreement, saying the Legislature had moved completely away from the
budget-writing process which produced a no-new-taxes operating budget in
2003. All 55 House Democrats supported a $26.1 billion plan for 2005-07
that increases government spending by 12.4 percent and relies on $500
million in tax increases. Forty-two Republicans joined Alexander in
voting no.
“The combination of the
spending and the tax packages is jaw-dropping. It’s the biggest tax
increase our state has seen since 1993, when a Democrat-controlled
Legislature passed the budget which prompted Initiative 601,” said
Alexander, R-Olympia. “I believe history sometimes repeats. Will the
citizens who passed I-601 and changed the composition of the Legislature
so thoroughly in 1994 see these tax increases, and the death of the
I-601 law, as their cue to take action again?
“But what concerns me more than the sheer size of this budget is the way
it was created – in virtual secrecy. The budget writers got away from
the very successful bipartisan process of two years ago, the “Priorities
of Government” approach that was so responsive to the taxpayers. The
budget adopted today is responsive to some groups, but the taxpayers
aren’t among them.”
Alexander noted there is
enough revenue coming into the state that lawmakers could have increased
spending by $1.7 billion – a 7 percent increase – without raising taxes.
Instead, the final $26.1 billion budget increases spending by $2.9
billion. He challenged claims made over the past several days of
tax-raising and overspending that it’s for “the kids.”
“This budget increases
spending by 12.4 percent, but you don’t see 12.4 percent more spending
for kids – for things like K-12 education or health care,” said
Alexander. “If this budget is for kids, why did the Democrats say the
cigarette tax they passed Thursday night was needed to help pay for K-12
education?
“Thanks to the improving
economy our state is going to have about 7 percent more revenue over the
next two years, and that would have been plenty to take care of the
education needs of ‘the kids’ and compensation increases for state
employees and a lot of health care as well. But the Democrats wanted
more, and that’s why they approved $500 million in tax increases in the
past five days. It’s been a very expensive week for the taxpayers.”
Alexander was also among
the lawmakers who today opposed a $9 billion transportation funding
package that calls for a 9½-cent gas tax increase, along with other
fees.
“Between the operating
budget and the transportation budget, a huge amount of money is going to
be pulled out of the economy and handed to government in the form of
taxes and fees,” said Alexander. “I’m worried about that damage that
will do to our economy just as it’s starting to pick up some speed. And
if the economy stalls again because of all these tax increases, and
unemployment starts to rise again, will the Democrats still say their
budget is for the kids?”
The 2005 legislative
session concludes today after its scheduled 105 days.
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For more information, contact:
Brendon Wold, Public
Information Officer: (360) 786-7698
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