While the process-hawks at the Seattle Times get all high and mighty about the budget crisis by demanding that Democrats call a special legislation session—you know, without sticking their necks out and making any concrete suggestions on how to cut the budget—I boldly propose a way of living up to the Times’ professed “Reset 2010” ideals, saving $165 million in the process: eliminate school levy equalization.
Read the whole thing over on Slog: “It’s Time to Give Rural Republicans the Government They Demand.”
Do you think that cut will pass Goldy?
Your idea of PUNISH ENEMIES is a bad one because of the depth of the Democrats overspending and pickle they find themselves in.
Gregoire certainly wants some Republican support in this and so do many Democrats.
OK–
Do what you must do Chris.
If we can’t kill ’em or round ’em up and put them in the FEMA camps, then by all means, let’s give them the government they (supposedly) want: you don’t get shit you ignorant, cornpone nazis — I’ve got your rugged individualism right here, motherfuckers! [grabs crotch]
And while we’re at it, let’s make sure the road funds are spent where they’re raised too. Say goodbye to miles and miles of pristine, little used pavement, Stevens County! Need help with that storm damaged road to no where, Lewis County? HWY 3 washed out, Mason County? Fuck you!
Cynical @1,
Levy equalization was on the chopping block last session, and it was Gregoire who insisted on finding the money to put it back in the budget. And then Republicans attacked her for smoke and mirrors.
All I’m suggesting is, this time around, let’s give the Republicans what they want.
@3
I was on Gregoire’s side last time, this time I think we should give the Republican’s what they want.
re 1: There is not a single true statement in your comment that you can back up.
Republicans spend far more than Democrats do — and on incredibly foolish (even evil) things — like fake wars.
Good idea there, Goldy.
Throw in a requirement that it takes a 2/3 vote of the Legislature to LOWER taxes.
I have to admit, I didn’t know what “levy equalization” was before this post.
“Throw in a requirement that it takes a 2/3 vote of the Legislature to LOWER taxes.”
Fair enough: taxes will stay the same then. Stability is good.
Goldy , Pacific County voted overwhelming Democrat , you think there is a way to enable ” good rural counties ” and just punish the ones you don’t like ?
@9 yes, and Pierce County, too. Tacoma is the 3rd largest district in the state (definitely urban) and would be hit hard by levy equalization if it passed.
Goldy: did you do any research on levy equalization by location, urban/rural status and party trends?
argh, I meant hit hard by the end of levy equalization.
Tacomamama @10,
So, is state funding of Tacoma schools getting better or worse? Because as far as I see it, the state is giving with one hand and taking away with the other.
Tacoma Schools have a roughly $200 million budget, of which only about $3.8 million comes in the form of levy equalization, compared to about $72 million from its local levy. So percentage wise, the potential loss of levy equalization funds is nothing compared to the likely cuts other sources of state and federal funding. Meanwhile, Tacoma and the surrounding districts have little trouble raising the maximum local levy allowed under the lid limits.
The problem as I see it is, how do we incentivize broad support for state K-12 funding? Apparently, subsidizing the anti-tax regions of the state haven’t done the trick.
Stop Griping about it. Contact your legislators and the Governor. Tell them.
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/districtfinder/default.aspx
Well, getting rid of the subsidy isn’t going to do the trick, either. If a working class voter from Eastern Washington can’t figure out that the national republican party doesn’t represent his/her best interest the intricacies of local and state school levies are not exactly on the radar.
Here’s how it works: schools get less money, they cut programs, cut teachers raise class sizes etc. Schools get worse for the voting parent, the voting parent concludes that the schools are doing a bad job. Schools are run by the government, therefore the government is bad. Why should we give the government more money? Why should we give the schools more money if they only get worse? Why do the schools seem to want more money every year? (Which they inevitably do because they have to go to the voters to get it.) Etc, etc, etc.
Personally, I think we should all be lobbying for civics questions on state standardized tests.
Tacomamama @14,
You don’t need to sell me on the virtues of levy equalization. In fact, I think the real solution is to fund K-12 education more fully at the state level, which of course means affluent areas like Seattle end up subsidizing the rest of the state even more.
But for the moment, if Republicans insist on talking the talk, it’s time for them to walk the walk and teach their constituents a lesson. Afterward, maybe we can have a more rational statewide discussion on how to properly fund K-12, and at what level.
The voters of eastern Washington have spoken!
Who are we to ignore the mandate?
@2 “Mason County? Fuck you!”
Ouch!
Goldy,
Don’t good guys like your standard issue Obama supporter argue strenuously against the “heightening the contradictions” strategy? Are you making the perfect the enemy of the good?
You’re treading on thin ground here, buddy.
Leninist! :)
http://www.marxists.org/refere.....alisme.htm
@17: Hey I live there too.
I am prepared to live with less and pay a little more since my fellow citizens are too stupid to get rid of politicians like Tim Sheldon and vote for Tim Eyman’s horseshit.
The Teahadists need a lesson and that means I (and you) get some too. So be it.
Shrug. Every single cut that has to be made this coming year is the direct result of the Democrats increasing spending beyond what we could afford. It represents Gregoire violating her own promise to not massively increase spending during good times, only to have to make drastic cuts and raise taxes in the bad times. SHE said that, and that’s what happened anyway.
Thankfully, we told her where to shove it on the tax increases. Now we simply need to roll back the Democratic spending increases since the recession began, and we’ll be fine. Our budget today is MUCH bigger than it was when the recession started.
Let’s not be stupid and believe the obvious lie that our spending pre-recession was some dystopian system that Goldy wants us to envision.
Oh, and Goldy, you very well know that the paramount duty of our state is to provide for education, so eliminating what you believe is necessary for ample provision of education is therefore unconstitutional.
I know you are used to repeating the lies of the Democrats who keep telling us we need to raise more money for education, but that is never true. It’s not even possible for it to be true, as long as we are spending money on other things. If we are spending money on things other than education, we therefore do not need to raise money for education. That’s what the Constitution says.
Once again: it is always a lie to say we need to raise more money for education. The undeniable fact is that you WANT to raise money for things OTHER THAN education, but you dishonestly sell it as money for education, even though that’s not possibly true.
It’s about time you came around, Goldy.
What took you so long?
Pudge @ 20
So what are the Republican counter-proposals to save $165 million out of the state budget?
Do you agree with Gregoire that we should eliminate prescription drugs for adults on Medicaid?
That is something that NO OTHER STATE has tried since Medicaid was first adopted. Just wait and see what happens when the bipolar and schizo folks on SSI (and therefore Medicaid) don’t get their psych meds. We will start seeing these same folks in jails and psych wards — costing taypayers at least $50 to $200 per DAY, instead of the $50 to $200 per month that the state was paying for their psych meds.
I”m channeling my inner republican….I’m tired of the attitude that if we just keep giving in long enough, we will get what what what we want. It’s obviously failing. Time to try something new.
We should stop forcing our socialist ideals onto people who don’t want them. And keep our resources for people who appreciate it. If they don’t believe their taxes should go for for schools and roads, then why should I force them to take my taxes for their schools and roads.
Let them live the life they vote to have.
This country is in a gd depression because of obama and guvmnt b
No more, no way, no how..the voters in this state said no, no,no, hell no to any more taxes. So enjoy and keep those horsebinders on
@24, So, oh wise one, how did Obama start the gd depression back in 2008? Enlighten us with your wisdom.
Why stop with levy equalization funding? Let’s charge them market rates for Columbia River water and electricity, too.
@1 Cry cry cry, whine whine whine, booo fucking hooo!
Cynical, you’ve just proved you’re for cutting government spending, as long as it’s not your government spending.
@24 While you guys were fucking up Iraq, 9/11, Katrina, the economy, and everything else, I never doubted for one moment that you guys would someday blame your clusterfucks on us. Fuck you.
@20 You don’t want to cut spending on education handouts to your Republican-voting eastern Washington welfare recipient buddies who live on Seattle money?
Okay, we’ll release felons from prisons instead. The money has to come from somewhere.
Roger, who is on a lifetime State pension, can pontificate on reality as much as he would like, but Obama is leading this country into a complete financial collapse.
Can You say Greece, Greenspan, Simpson, Clinton, G20, Germany, most of the EU says the same thing.
Head for the bunkers, the payment is due! You cannot print 4 trillion in monopoly US Money without causing debasing, inflation if not hyperinflation, and debt debt debt debt
@ 30
Greenspan is a Republican. He was appointed by a Republican President, and only had his tenure extended because a Democrat president couldn’t get a real economist appointed to the post through a neocon/fascist Congress.
Greece collapsed simply because it couldn’t produce enough to make up for its share of supporting the Euro, and had to take on debt to maintain the currency.
All of Europe is beginning to realize the Euro consolidation was a mistake, and a scam perpetrated by Germany, France and Switzerland to loot the rest of Europe through a manufactured and artificially constructed currency scheme.
Greece is now beginning to understand what it means to be Idaho or Mississippi.
Goldy,
Interesting idea. Then all the vegetables and fruits grown on the east side of the Cascades can be sold to other states to replace those equalization funds vs. being shipped over the Cascades and sold to Whole Foods and the other liberal shopping locations in King and Snohomish and Pierce County.
Let the voters decide. When the price of food rises they’ll applaud your suggestion. Puddy has buds in Walla Walla so Puddy can get his sweets whenever.
Europe is beginning to realize the socialism experiment is way more expensive than originally thought. People working less than a 40 hour work week getting paid for 40 hours and retiring at 60 doesn’t financially cut it. People getting laid off and still getting their full salary for up to a year isn’t paying off.
Now we see Ireland is in the toilet. The EU president demanded Ireland could not hold elections while their bailout was being contemplated. Soon Portugal and Spain. Italy may be coming due soon. That’s the result of your grand socialism exercise you liberals love to throw into conservative faces.
@32
Pud, you’re an imbecile.
Those farm products – they’re commodities – they’ll flow to the highest dollar – as in to the markets in Seattle.
What you describe, with politically enforced distribution of goods – is a command economy – are you a communist?
And speaking of commodities and dollars meeting up according to market dictates (the capitalist altar you purport to worship upon) – shipping Seattle dollars to rural welfare recipients makes no sense. By moving tax dollars from producers to users – be it Seattle to rural Eastern Washington, or from New York and Massachusetts to Alabama and Arkansas – we are keeping the unfortunate (and illiterate and Republican) citizens of Mobile and Fayetteville and Yakima oppressed! Let them be free! Empower them to make their own fortunes without the shackles of the liberal welfare state!
@33
More utter bullshit, Pud.
As with most right-wing pronouncements, I cannot tell if you are stupid or lying.
Socialism didn’t do those economies in, financial bubbles and financial crimes by their banks did. Goldman directly participated in Greece’s meltdown. Ireland’s banks were insolvent, though they were treated as if they had merely a liquidity problem – and the banksters who created the situation were guaranteed not to lose a dime, as were ours.
As Roger Rabbit wisely said – the problem isn’t socialism, you idiot, it’s the unsustainablity of an unregulated capitalistic greed system, one in which regulatory capture of the entire government is a central feature.
Peddle your lies elsewhere, fool.
Poor Liberal Scientist…
Can’t get facts straight. Capitalistic greed in Europe? Do tell. Tell us about how French cities Lyon and Marseilles are in the clutches of capitalism. Hmmm… The unions told everyone there they are in control.
Tell Puddy all about how the Irish government was capitalistic? Irish banks? Your own link…
Tell us what really happened? From your own link
Puddy will wait. Tell us how the Greek government was capitalistic? Tell us how the Spanish government is capitalistic?
This should be a hoot. Take your own advice…
Peddle your crap elsewhere!
Hey Puddy is suggesting something the east siders can do to improve their own situation. You think they get the highest price from Seattle/King County?
Are you actually suggesting that Eastern Washington farmers are forced to sell at lower prices to Seattle buyers? Are you suggesting that they do not sell to where they get the highest price?
Please explain how this system works, Pud. I’m fascinated by the alleged command economy that you claim shackles the good farmers of Eastern Washington.
Amazing the ravings from the fever swamp that is the right wing “mind”
@37
Silly Puddy…
What are the major metropolitan centers nearest the Yakima Vally? Which one has a port facilitating international commodities sales? Well there’s Boise or Misoula(Spokane already takes as much product as they need), about an extra hundred miles of delivery costs.
So by simple economics, can farmers in Yakima realize greater profit by selling on the West side of the state or will the higher price you assume is paid elsewhere make up for the extra fuel?
And think. Where’s the greater population I.e. customers for farmer’s goods? Seattle a couple million people in the puget sound area or the 200k in Boise or the 107k in Misoula.
Lets hear it for Puddy for putting forth ANOTHER stupid claim with no basis in reality.
(Er…I didn’t say Boise. I Didn’t! I said any place other than Seattle with no port and no Population. Mike Rogers! Arrrghh, Ack!)
Puddy @36
Um, I think they invented it.
Indeed Pud, craven behavior of governments groveling before banks, from my link:
Indeed, socialized risk/loss, privatized profit for the few at the top. The misunderstanding of a liquidity versus solvency crises.
Your selective and incoherent quoting missed this as well:
As always, the question becomes are you disingenuous or stupid.
@37
Puddy likes to pretend he knows how the world of business works…
You are aware that the direct transaction for a farmer is, in nearly all cases farmer’s markets notwithstanding, with a broker. Ever see those big refrigerated warehouses around Yakima? Ever hear of HopUnion or Freshhops?
The average farmer doesn’t give a rip or realize any additional profit based on the end destination of their commodities. If the brokers could make higher profits by selling in the manner you imagine, wouldn’t they?
Or do you think the brokers are all socialist agents of Seattle? Why do you fail to understand the capitalist system?
Goldy–
If you are going to insist on Levy Equalization, you should also support repealing the Growth Management Act which has totally hamstrung Rural Counties and is one of the reasons they need it.
Allow the rural counties to compete for business.
They have plenty of land…cheap land.
It’s the elitists of King Kounty that fight to keep them impoverished with regulations and foolishness like smart growth.
Repeal GMA..let the free market roll.
Just a reminder..
The Democrats are still in control of the House, Senate and Governor’s Mansion.
You seem to be mighty focused on the R’s for some reason.
YOUR folks are in charge.
Tell them what to do like Goldy does…you elected them.
puddy @ 20
Was there a point in there some where?
Were you a conservative, you’d suggestion something constructive.
Such as ending standardized testing.
It costs the state $100s of dollars per student per year. With no benefit whatsoever.
Instead of enriching testing companies, that money could be used in the classroom.
Mr Cynical @ 42
In your libertarian utopia (democracy bad, corporations good)…
What keeps Georgia Pacific from dumping mercury into Bellingham Bay?
Who cleans up Hanford?
Who battles invasive species, like the pine beetle devastating our forests?
Who prevents mudslides by policing clear cutting?
It’s clear you’ve spent a total of 2 minutes formulating your grand political thesis. I encourage you to invest another 2. Your thesis will then be twice as good.
45. Jason Osgood spews:
Where did I say democracy is bad?
Over-reaching government is.
It’s still against the law to dump mercury.
We don’t need a Dept of Ecology with 1700 employees of which 670 have TOTAL COMPENSATION of $99,000 or more.
That’s the problem.
Duplication with the Feds.
How many Ecology Employees do we need (Fed, State & Local)??
Jason Osgood, Try again…
Mr. Cynical @ 46
We don’t need a Dept of Ecology with 1700 employees of which 670 have TOTAL COMPENSATION of $99,000 or more.
But you forget — it is much more important for the government to hire hundreds and thousands of 100k-plus employees, than to actually help the less fortunate in our society.
Which is why Gregoire is proposal to save a few pennies by eliminating family planning and birth control for poor people, effective March 1, 2011 — even though the federal government pays 90% of the cost of that program.
Fortunately, Gregoire is still adhering to her “True Blue” principles, and will still pay for abortions when poor women get pregnant because they didn’t have any birth control. Even though an abortion costs a lot more than birth control, and the federal government doesn’t contribute a dime to elective abortions.
My observation — you and most other Republicans will still have your heads stuck too far up your asses to take any political advantage from Gregoire’s incredibly dangerous faux pas on this matter
Mr Cynical @ 46
You didn’t answer my questions.
Dumping mercury is illegal. But as you anti-society types have demonstrated, laws are meaningless without enforcement.
So, tell me, without the Dept of Ecology, who stops Georgia Pacific from dumping mercury into Bellingham Bay?
Interesting.
In your libertarian utopia, who pays for the administration of our elections and courts?
Answer the question. It’s your statement. It’s (presumably) what you believe. So man up, gather your courage, and answer the question.
pudge @ 47
Huh?
@33
Hey Puddy,
Sorry to kick an idiot when he’s down, but I thought that you might learn something reading this about the socialist hell hole that is Germany.
The author notes:
It also links this, which includes:
and this!
and this too!!
What was that you were saying about socialism destroying Europe’s economies?
Putz.
I fully support getting rid of most school levy equalization dollars. Tacoma is a great example. While most of the sales tax dollars are generated in the shadow of the Space Needle, a huge district like Tacoma skims that money away without really having to try for voter supported levy dollars like the rest of us have to cough up in addition to our sales tax dollars. Recall that Tacoma, in the last 10 years or so, passed the state’s largest ever school bond measure with a 60%+ super majority. Even when a super majority was required for levies, passing bonds were much more difficult to pass and Tacoma did it. Now with passing levies set at 50% to pass, it’s time for Tacoma and districts like it to get out and pass their own levies in their communities and quit crying that your communities won’t pass them. Of course they don’t have to while they hear this lame message all the time from their own school leaders and they can take the easy hand out of equalization funds. Some of the rest of us are getting screwed twice under the current funding plan and it’s time to stop equalization dollars to the vast majority of communities.
The only people for “levy equalization” are socialist. Pure socialists. The IDEA is that we shouldn’t just collect taxes and use them to pay for stuff, but REDISTRIBUTE wealth (I think Republicans hate that) and give EXTRA money (taking from the rich) from Seattle and giving it to rural areas (the poor). I know there are plenty of Republicans, especially in those rural areas who ARE these secret socialists, who WANT extra bonus money taken from the rich and given to THEM.
Remember, it’s only socialism if YOU don’t get the money. Farm subsidies. Ok. Gov jobs provided by tax payers (prison, military). Ok. Extra “bonus” money for rural areas. Ok. Just cut my taxes and KEEP giving me more and more and more and more and more. More military, more subsidies, more Medicare, more more more. And I want my country back! ROTFLMAO. What rubes.