Here is yet another reason to think about the structural budget issues that Goldy has explained at length to incredulous and/or cynical activists and elected officials this year: federal monies.
I was reminded of it by this ECB Slog post about KC exec candidate Dow Constantine’s effort to boost King County infrastructure by funding a full-time county employee to coordinate stimulus grants to win money for the county. In this climate, it is as good a plan as any, if not better.
But turning to D.C. with palms facing up is not a solution that the state can ethically count on in the long run, especially after all that Bush-era war spending.
State Sen. Minority Leader Mike Hewitt (R-Walla Walla) makes this same point, though backwards, in an AP article today.
“This is a temporary fix,” Hewitt said of the federal stimulus money going toward the state budget. “I really don’t believe this is going to help us sustain for the next two to four years.”
It won’t, and that is the point. We need to do it our own selves, but not by slashing important services like the old skool contingent wants, but with a forward-thinking tax system.
Again, I’m not referring to current stimulus spending, which we should embrace, but rather the kind of federal grant and pork project cash that comes in to bail out states all over the union on a regular basis (putting added stress on relatively awesome states like Washington, btw).
Our national debt is spiraling out of control while governors across the country boast about balanced budgets to anyone who will listen. It isn’t because governors are inherently geniuses while presidents are stupid (even if the most frustratingly ignorant guvs are the ones who tend to seek a higher perch in D.C.). It is because state electeds can swindle voters into thinking they are fiscally responsible by sticking money into their front pockets (state budgets) while taking it from their back pockets (federal).
It’s NIMBY, baby, and it is all the more reason to make the changes necessary to create a solvent long term.
Personally, I don’t necessarily fall in line with the full-on income tax idea, but a federal grant/paltry sales tax/incomprehensible business tax/property tax/tourist tax scheme might hold some water, but it is as leaky as a pre-santorum asshole.
Like Goldy says, just think about it.
P.S. I first read, in a convincing way, about the federal/state discrepancy in an op-ed in the Times or something like that last year. Anyone able to find the link for that?
We were staring this budget issue in the face not long ago and Olympia was doing things like passing paid family leave laws…..with no funding.
They just redefined basic educaiton with no funding mechanism…..that will be addressed later. Meanwhile they congratulate themselves for a job well done.
I have no faith that they wll get their house in order. This budget is held together with one time federal money and kicking other stuff down the road to be paid for later.
@1 That’s nothing! We had a GOP administration not long ago, and they were shoveling money into duffel bags with no accounting of where it went, although we know where it came from.
RR – Dhimmicrats have been running this state for 20 years. No excuses asshole.
re 3: I guess we need the kind of new direction that W brought at the national level.
@4 Major – prove how W caused WA state’s economic problems!
Goldy has suggested looking at a means testing for higher education if I recall. It might be a good idea to look at who is receiving the benefits now. Are the graduates primarily from the upper end of the economic ladder, or are not? If they are well to do then how do we shift the burden to them and get it off the lower income people? How about taking all those lottery dollars and giving the entire lottery to higher ed and getting them off the tax dole?
How about the justice system, if you can call it that? How do we reduce those costs and bring some fairness to the system? Do we continue to lock up those who choose to use a substance the state disagrees with, or are there alternatives? Are other nations doing things different that we can learn from?
In healthcare how do we bring more midwives into the business? In Europe midwives deliver about 75% of infants at a lower costs and with better survival chances than doctors. In Washington only about 8% of infants are delivered by midwives. How else can we change the healthcare system to bring about lower costs and better services?
With transportation what happens if the market is opened to all forms of urban transit, private buses, ride sharing taxis and jitneys? What will the impact be on the poor? Will pollution be reduced, or highway congestion?
@6 LG – Goldy and fellow travelers want gold-plated healthcare at much lower prices. Not possible, especially if you’re going to give gold-plated healthcare to 20 million illegals.