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OP-ED: The budget challenge
By Rep. Judy Warnick
The 2009 Legislature began
this week and we have much to get accomplished. By now you’ve probably
heard about the almost $6 billion shortfall the state must deal with in
our two year budget for 2009-2011.
The governor released her
proposed budget to fill the gap, and I support her approach of cutting
programs rather than increasing taxes. I hope that she holds to her
promise to taxpayers.
What you may not know is that often ‘cuts’
in Olympia really mean ‘less of an increase.’ In the governor’s proposal
in this case, we’re seeing just a one percent increase in spending. When
you’ve seen spending increase 33 percent in just four years, it
certainly feels like a cut to some.
The unfortunate thing about
all these ‘cuts’ is they could have been prevented. Promises were made
with no way to fulfill them and now new programs are being cut and new
state employees are being laid off.
Many of us in Olympia have
railed against the overspending of state government while speaking for
the need to rein in irresponsible budgeting. The rollercoaster ride of
state budget surpluses and deficits has got to stop. However, the “I
told you so” line isn’t productive and certainly not conducive to
working cooperatively.
This budget is not about complaining and
debating, it’s about coming together for solutions. The people of this
state need the majority Democrats and the fiscally conservative
Republicans to come together and give citizens the leadership they
deserve.
Now is the time to make the hard decisions on what to
keep and what to cut out of the budget. The budget is more than just
lines of numbers; it shows what our state holds most important. To me,
this includes protecting the most vulnerable citizens in our state.
Just as you do at home, we have to prioritize what is the most
important to our state to pay for because there is less money in the
bank. There’s not less money because there’s less income, we actually
are expecting to have a 5 percent increase in revenue. There may be less
money left in the bank after a spending spree and now we have to stop
buying luxuries such as big screen TVs and look at how much we spend on
necessities such as food and rent.
While it’s not easy telling
community group after organization after agency ‘no’ to more money, it
has to be done. The great thing in all the bad news is that we have a
great opportunity to look seriously at a limited and more efficient
government. It also gives us an opportunity to find more ways to create
jobs and help businesses succeed, bringing in more state revenue.
My commitment to you is that I will not vote for any increase in
taxes. In a time of recession and high unemployment, taxpayers should
not be asked to bail out the state government. State government should
become more efficient, limited and remember who its customers are: you.
I hope that you will contact me with questions or concerns about the
budget or any issue. I would love to hear from you.
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For more information, contact:
Sarah Lamb, Public Information
Officer - (360) 786-7720
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