Unlike the last dozen or so non-starts, I think this budget is actually going to be a budget.
Gov. Jay Inslee joined state lawmakers Thursday in announcing they had reached a deal on a $33.6-billion two-year budget, allowing the state to avoid a government shutdown on Monday.
Inslee issued a statement saying he expects the budget to pass and arrive on his desk before 5 p.m. Friday.
‘Course, fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame that all those state workers will be temporarily laid off. I still haven’t seen the details. And oh God are we going to have transit? So many questions. I’m heading out to dinner, and will be away from my computer for several hours. But if we actually have something that looks like details after I get back, I’ll put up another post.
… In the Comments Roger has the Seattle Times article on it. Still, I don’t see the actual bill on the legislative website.
A budget is IMMINENT I tells ya!
Stupid cops who shot the wrong man 16 times won’t be prosecuted or even lose their jobs, but King County taxpayers get to pay the innocent victim $3 million. (That only settles the lawsuit against King County; the state also will get to ante up, because a DOC officer participated in the shooting.)
http://horsesass.org/?p=50762#comments
Roger Rabbit Commentary: Why is it necessary to shoot someone 16 times? Even if you think (whether correctly or not) that someone is armed and dangerous, once or twice ought to suffice. And why do we taxpayers get stuck with a huge bill, but nothing happens to the perps? It’s because of stuff like this that the public doesn’t trust the police around here.
Well, here’s what ST is reporting tonight:
The total budget for 2 years is $33.6 billion.
It includes $1 billion of additional funding for schools.
A 1-year moratorium on higher education tuition increases.
“And they agreed to end a tax break for residential phone service that’s projected to net about $85 million over the next two years.”
Roger Rabbit Commentary: I have no idea what that “tax break for residential phone service” is. I do know I have something like a dozen different taxes on my phone bill, and about a third of my phone bill is taxes, and this sounds like they’re going to tax my phone even more. I’m beginning to understand why everyone is ditching their land lines and signing up with offshore cellphone companies.
Apparently the phone tax “break” was a big sticking point.
Yes go ahead and add 10 cents to the price of gas, it’s not high enough in price killing business and the poor.
I’ll just continue to drive me leased nissan leaf and laugh when I pass a gas station.
@5 Bridges and road repairs cost the same regardless of whether the car you drive gets 15 mpg or 50 mpg. When fuel economy goes up, the state has to raise the gas tax just to get the same amount of revenue. Raising the gas tax does hurt the poor, because they tend to drive older, less fuel-efficient cars. As for killing business, few things will kill business (especially small business) faster than letting our transportation infrastructure rot to pieces.
“… In the Comments Roger has the Seattle Times article on it. Still, I don’t see the actual bill on the legislative website.”
It apparently hasn’t been released by the Legislature or Governor. ST says this morning that Democrats didn’t get most of the tax increases they wanted and Republicans didn’t get the worker’s comp “reform” they wanted.
Glad to be wrong here, but if the proposed budget “deal” were any good why would it be hidden?
@8 Good question, why the secrecy? I would guess because they haven’t voted on it yet and don’t want to give legislators time to think about it. Compromises usually are unpopular.
“don’t want to give legislators time to think about it.”
great strategy; terrible example of a self governing republic.
Alienating Voters, One Bloc At A Time
Interest rates on Stafford loans for poor students will double on Monday, from 3.4% to 6.8%, thanks to Republican obstructionism in Congress; thereby creating a whole new generation of voters who will despise the GOP. The Republican answer? Double-down on their vote suppression efforts against students.
# 11: “What’s the problem? If your parents can’t afford to pay for college, then you shouldn’t be taking out loans to do so!”
(Actual comment made by a financial aid counselor to my daughter – she had a GOP candidate’s sticker on her desk).
If people need to borrow money for college (and many do), they darn sure ought to be majoring in fields which will generate the incomes to repay the loans.
@13 An interesting take on your right wing talking point.
From 14,
It’s not a “right wing talking point” because I’m not a conservative or a liberal. It’s common sense. Get a education to get a job.
Unless, of course, if you’re aleady wealthy and living off your accumulated wealth. In that case, major in whatever you choose.
@13 Well, that rules out teaching careers, so we may as well close all the Education departments in our colleges.
@13 (continued) And, of course, our colleges should not offer courses (much less degrees) in music, art, dance, or literature because we don’t need no damn culture!
@13 (continued) Money! The only thing that matters is MAKING MONEY!! “I were a collidge dropout, and now I are a millionaire!” (See, e.g., Darryl Issa … )
@13 (continued) Money! The only thing that matters is MAKING MONEY!!
@15 I was discussing this very topic with someone else today … a guy with a Ph.D. in zoology who has made his living as a research scientist, is a published textbook author, and his day job is programming mainframe computer. The gist of our conversation was that the purpose of college, at least undergraduate education, is not so much the subjects you study as learning critical thinking skills. When people don’t have critical thinking skills, all of society suffers, because those people are more likely to vote Republican.
I really don’t care which label you prefer, TYA. An asswipe is an asswipe, and you have your head up your ass no matter what you call yourself.
Can anyone explain to me how this would be a better world if colleges taught only engineering, finance, and ROTC classes?
OK, then, tell your children and grandchildren to all major in art history or music appreciation and borrow a couple of hundred grand to get those degrees. I’m sure they will all have wonderful careers making lattes for their Starbucks customers, all the while discussing Van Gogh and Beethoven. I’m sure they’ll all pay off their student loans. Eventually.
From 21,
A perfect description of yourself, Roger.
“I’m Ten Years After, I’m not a conservative or a liberal, however I never ever post anything that is liberal and money is the only thing that matters.”
Like I posted, people should get an education in what they feel they can master and that will make them money. We have the capacity to support some orchestras, so some people can major in music and make a living at it.
Your republican contempt for the liberal arts is so blatant, its disturbing.
@24. Your rebuttal is nothing more that “I’m rubber you’re glue, your words bounce off me and stick to you.”? Why do you even try?
Good luck on King County voting to raise car tabs hundreds of dollars. Gee what part of $30 tabs has king County voted for. And I do believe it takes a 2/3 majority. This budget is smoke and mirrors. Get out the pink slips.