Another legislative session started today. The legislature needs to figure out the budget; revenue has fallen since the biennial budget passed last session, and they only closed part of the gap in the special session. The questions in a nutshell are how much will it be balanced on the backs of state workers and people who need state services and how much will it be new revenue. If a revenue package passes, how regressive will it be and will it go to the voters? It looks bleak, and possibly awful, but perhaps some court rulings will finally push the issue.
On social issues, things look much better. With Gregoire pushing for the bill that would let gay couples get married, it stands a decent shot at passing. The marijuana legalization initiative went to the legislature, and it might be improved before it gets to the ballot. Washington NARAL and others are pushing a bill to require health insurance companies to provide to abortion services.
As always, the question here is what would y’all like to see in the short session?
We’ve already gotten the court ruling on funding K-12 education, which should help. And cuts that go too deep into services for the developmentally disabled will be met with either lawsuits or the federal department of justice stepping in and ordering more funding. We’ve already been down the road with the DD folks getting the courts and the DOJ on their side. Hopefully the ledge wont waste time and money and have to get sued again.
Mostly I’m worried about the ledge doing things that will save us a penny now, but cost us a nickel further on down the road, like even more deferred road maintenance, or getting rid of Basic Health.
Legalize marijuana, then tax it. Then, otherwise raise taxes. No more cuts, unless they relate to closing prisons because we don’t need possessors killing time on the taxpayers’ dime.
@2
the stoners wont pay any taxes, because they will get their weed from underground sources.
make more in prisons: execute more of the scum, IE murderers, rapists and child molesters. they have no place in society anyway, just blood sucking leaches..
“revenue has fallen”
Is there anyone left here — besides the stupid ignorant trolls — who still doesn’t comprehend that less revenue = TAX CUT???
Washingtonians have received billions of dollars in TAX CUTS over the last few years. It didn’t require initiatives or legislative bills. All they had to do was stop spending on taxed items. Which they did.
Tax rates and tax collections are not the same thing. Even if you raise tax rates, if tax collections are less, taxpayers have gotten a TAX CUT. Which is what has happened because of the Great Recession.
Is that clear to everyone (except trolls)?
You have proof of this? I’d really like to see it.
Personally, I think that given a chance, the Eastern Washington farmers would flood the market with high quality weed that even with taxes added would be far cheaper than the illegal variety currently on the market.
@4 – that would be true if revenue were really falling; it’s not. Revenue is falling below projections, not going down.