The state’s incoming superintendent of public instruction says Washington lawmakers are about to get a wake-up call about what it means to do their work during an economic downturn.
Randy Dorn predicts the Legislature will be forced to think about raising taxes to meet the needs of the state, especially because he says cutting one of Washington’s biggest dollar commitments — education — should not be on the table.
As a former state lawmaker, the new school chief knows few things may be sacred during a major economic downturn.
And he plays the “paramount duty card:”
“It’ll be a real choice of — what are the priorities. And to me there isn’t a choice on what is a priority. The priority’s already been determined by our constitution. That’s the paramount duty. They take an oath of office. It’s pretty simple to me,” Dorn said.
Look, we all know it’s going to be an insanely tough session. Nobody wants to see health care pitted against education, or corrections and law enforcement. Or whatever.
But the broader public is going to need to understand that their neighborhood schools are going to be affected, possibly in significant ways. I’m not so certain that is sinking in around the state.
Education is a point of contact with the state for many folks who otherwise have little interaction with it, other than routine trips to license vehicles and such. Frankly a lot of parents may not understand exactly how education is funded in this state or what could happen with drastic cuts.
Dorn is right to start making noise. It’s probably unrealistic to hope that no cuts will happen, but parents and students involved in both K-12 and higher education better start making plans right now to fight like hell.
Yeah, I know. Gov. Chris Gregoire made a promise not to seek tax increases. Well, a hell of a lot has happened just in the last four weeks, and a hell of a lot is likely to happen in the next four weeks. From a macro-economic standpoint a tax increase is about the last thing that should happen, but then again, the consequences of major damages to education are also severe.
Our stupid, regressive tax system has us boxed in big time.
Good post. One problem. You never proved that “major damages to education” would occur.
Others here may swallow what you write without question. Not me, buddy.
NOW SHOW ME THE PROOF!
Dorn is a pawn for the Teacher’s Union.
The office of Superintendent of Public Instruction should be eliminated immediately.
Dorn is yet another “throw money at a problem but no accountability” hack.
Vote HELL NO on all tax increases!
John, I am still waiting for the proof “major damages to education” would occur.
Tick tock.
Jon you miss a critical change that has occured. Among the affluent, esp in Seattle, it is a small minority that use the SPS. With all due respect, this means they benefit from low taxes!
The SPS efforts to focus on disadvantged kids is suicidal.
If tax increases are needed to get our children through this crisis, it’s only logical to expect the Legislature to tap the only two pools of untaxed income in the state: The affluent and big business. Everyone else is tapped out. Economic upheaval often produces political reform, so this would be an ideal time to enact the Gates Commission tax reforms. It’s ridiculous that poor people pay 4 1/2 times as much of their income in local/state taxes as the rich. Giving them tax relief will help stimulate the state economy and if the rich have to start paying their fair share they can well afford it and won’t even notice.
@4 The poor are subsidizing private schools by paying the rich’s share of taxes.
Tax increases are not the answer..
Reinventing currently bloated government & bureaucracies is the starting point.
During good times, money was freely tossed around by State Government with little accountability.
To dig your heels in and say No Cuts, means you are assuming current tax dollars are well-spent.
They are not.
Make State Government & Education as cost-effective and focused on fundamental NEEDS as possible.
The ONLY way to reform government & bureaucracies is to take away the money.
Rog keeps beating the unfair drum….yet I pay much more than the average person for services.
Why is that fair??
Rog’s underlying assumption is that government services should be paid for not based on use…but based on income.
Should I pay more for Mariner’s ticket than someone less affluent?
How about Theatre tickets?
Only in Government can folks “freeload” on the backs of others.
I contend everyone should pay the the same for services…regardless of wealth or income.
Then anything one pays in excess is charitable giving….and anyone who pays less is receiving WELFARE. That’s what it is.
The writer spews: “Our stupid, regressive tax system has us boxed in big time.”
Typical leftist groupthink. They start from the premise that “We don’t have enough tax money!” instead of saying we are spending MORE than we take in.
@2 “Dorn is yet another ‘throw money at a problem but no accountability’ hack.”
No, that’s the Bush Bootlickers and assorted contractors with GOP ties.
If I’m not mistaken, it was either Goldy or Roger who once said that the only equitable solution was to have a 100% income tax, and then the state would redistribute money back to people, in the form of a small allowance, according to their needs, with the state directly paying people’s bills with what was once their own money.
Our stupid, regressive tax system has us boxed in big time.
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Only two states on this list do not have an income tax:
http://paul.kedrosky.com/archi.....ult_w.html
California, which does, faces a 40 billion dollar budget deficit over the next two years, has 60 billion dollars in debt, and the worse credit rating among the states. It’s budget has grown 40% over the previous four years.
McKay Uncovers Port Fraud
A report issued yesterday says John McKay’s investigation of contracting practices at the Port of Seattle found at least 10 instances of fraud, including a case where a contractor made an extraordinary 30% profit on a $125 million project because a port employee leaked confidential information to the contractor. McKay’s report also says the port’s former CEO used the port’s lobbying firm to get his daughter a paid internship in Washington D.C.
With growing evidence of the Port of Seattle’s culture of corruption, it’s time to shoot this fucker and put it out of its misery! The state should disband the port district and turn over its functions to the county. The port tax should be repealed because it isn’t needed and its only function is to provide a slush fund for dishonest port officials and their businessmen buddies.
@11 I never said that, you fucking idiot, and I’ll let you know if I plan to hire an assistant propagandist, but don’t hold your breath waiting for a call. Lying jerk.
@11 (continued) It’s bad enough when they lie about what they stand for, but I won’t tolerate them lying about what I stand for! I’m a greedy capitalist, and anyone who says different is asking to get socked in the ankle!*
* Just kidding! I can’t reach that high. All I’ll do is plant my teeth in his Achilles tendon.
@8 “Should I pay more for Mariner’s ticket than someone less affluent?”
If you voted to make me pay taxes for your fucking stadium so you can watch guys who are paid millions of dollars play a kid’s game, I’d say yeah, you should.
@9 “spending MORE than we take in”
Another stupid troll who has things ass-backwards. It was CLINTON who balanced the budget and BUSH who unbalanced it, stupid! Spending more than you take in, living beyond your means, and living it up on OPM* are REPUBLICAN traits, you stupid shit. That’s one of the big reasons why an angry mob voted your party out of office, although it’s by no means the only reason.
* Other people’s money
@12 “It’s budget has grown 40% over the previous four years.”
That’s what they get for replacing their Democratic governor with a Republican groper. Oh, and one more thing, that should be “its” not “it’s,” you illiterate fuck! Another miserable failure of home-schooling.
I’m all for levying a special 98% tax on Kerry Killinger’s severance pay.
Seems like Budget Shortfall’s turn the LEFTIST PINHEADED KLOWNS into even more raving lunatics than they already are…Heaven forbid!
Didn’t think that possible.
Tax Dollars are there life-blood.
They cannot make it in the Private Sector and seek the security of a Guv’mint yob.
They also want to Control ever minute detail of our lives.
I reject that.
Reform Government==Take Away the Money!
That’s what they get for replacing their Democratic governor with a Republican groper.
————–
Tsk, tsk, a little touchy today. Our “big getting bigger” deficit occurred under a Democratic governor.
And she has stated time and again that raising taxes in a down economy does not make sense. She was elected, I presume, for her leadership and judgment on the economy. Just a month in, and her judgment is being questioned it appears.
@20
You guys are the ones that want the state to make sure that every marrying couple is a mixed sex pair, wants to ban abortion and keep marijuana illegal.
@5: I’m with you on that, RR. After all, the rich & big business got a big chunk of that money from taxpayers to begin with. Apparently paying back one’s obligations is for poor folks only.
cyniKLOWN @ 20: “I reject that.”
Like, who cares what you think?
I think an income tax would be better than a sales tax, but plenty of states with income taxes are having problems balancing their budgets during the current recession.
Rather than raise taxes now, which would impede economic recovery, we need federal stimulus to the states that will make up revenue shortfalls without cuts in services, and a commitment to maintain that support as long as revenues are down. On top of that, we need infrastructure spending to get our economy moving again.
This economic problem is national, and thinking of in-state solutions is missing the forest for the trees.
The rich have a higher propensity to save.
The rich have most of the money.
Therefore a tax on the rich will come from savings, not spending.
QED
The rich have a higher ability to save, because after the first million, most living expenses are covered?
Ok, they might have to dip into savings to cover the dog food bills, but other than that, it’s golden.
Roger Rabbit’s School Funding Plan
@20 This one’s just for you, Cynical! So you don’t like school taxes, eh? Okay, let’s abolish school taxes and pay for public schools with user fees! Here’s how it works. We’ll float bonds to fund schools and pay off the bonds by requiring every employer who hires a worker who was educated at public expense to reimbuse the state for the cost of the worker’s education! No more freeloading off homeowners by employers! Do you like that better, Cynical?
@20 Oh yeah, one more thing, let’s start charging Montana goat herders for the free water they’ve been getting from taxpayer-subsidized reclamation projects! And no more free grazing on public land! Except for rabbits, because we’re part of the natural landscape.
@28-29: Roger
A black hearted fuck like Cynical would retort that the public schools should be abolished to allow “the market” to “allocate” education.
My reply is, “OK, but let’s let the market allocate defense spending as well!”
Wrongo my confused KLOWNS–
I want more ACCOUNTABILITY for schools.
Cut all Consultants and excess administration.
More dollars to the classroom.
However, teachers must take Pay & Benefit cuts like the taxpayers to balance this Budget.
If they can get a better job elsewhere, as always GOOD LUCK!
To reform government & schools, you must fearlesssly attack the status quo.
WAAAAAAAAAY overdue.
Look, most of you KLOWNS worked the guv’mint or your spouse or your kids did at some point in time.
Admit it.
Time to get off the pacifer…if you can do better in the Private Sector, by all means GOOD LUCK!
So Dorn hasn’t even walked in the door yet, and he’s making sweeping pronouncements that HIS budget can’t be cut and the legislature should just raise taxes? Pretty lame. Plus, even the Constitution does not promise K-12 education a blank check.
Perhaps it’s petty, but when I constantly observe the school bus picking up a kid standing in front of a house with 3 cars in the driveway, I have to wonder why we’ve allowed parents to abdicate so much responsibility for their kids.
It’s time for all of us citizens to put up or shut up. You don’t want schools cut, or health care, or prisons, or parks, or roads . . . but you don’t want taxes raised either. I say let the governor slash 6 billion from the budget. Let’s watch the soap opera of upset citizens marching and protesting and pleading for their favorite causes.
Dump the WASL in favor of an old standby, the ITBS and K12 in this state can save around $117 million a year.
The WASL costs $270 per student to score and the ITBS only costs five bucks.