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COMMENTARY January 27, 2004 What To Do About the Looming Billion Dollar Budget Deficit? Observations gleaned from a comedian and an action figure Lynn Harsh | Executive Director Governor Schwarzenegger said it was simple: For the past five years, the legislature spent more money than it had. But didn’t legislators know this was happening, wondered Miller? Yes, Schwarzenegger said, but they were counting on a miracle, or some unexpected revenue from somewhere, and it didn’t come. Hmmm. A proverb tells us that wise people learn by observing the actions of others, while a foolish person only learns by falling into the same rut as the one who has gone before. More to the point: Most Washington state lawmakers agree that a deficit problem looms ominously in Washington state this year, but say there’s not much that can be done to slow down the spending. So they plan to spend more. In the most polite way I can think to say it, this seems to model the proverb of a fool. It’s a shame when the last refuge for common sense budgeting is the Comedy Channel. Maybe we Washingtonians need to see if Sylvester Stallone and Rodney Dangerfield are available as budget consultants for the next couple of years.
P.S. Pithy commentary aside, Washington legislators really can balance the budget this year. EFF covered the potential state deficit and its solutions a full six weeks ago in a policy highlighter. You can click here to view the two-page publication Contact: Marsha Richards | Communications Director | 360.956.3482
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1 Part Honesty; 2 Parts Arrogance At a March 23, 2005, House Appropriations hearing on a bill to gut the voter-approved I-601 spending limit, Rep. Jim McIntire (D) asked a supporter of I-601’s two-third supermajority requirement for the legislature to raise taxes the following question: "Can you name a time when we [legislators] have actually not just set it [supermajority requirement] aside by majority vote? I mean, this is in many respects a procedural motion that has no bearing. It’s a statutory constraint that cannot constrain any legislature that chooses as a majority to set it aside . . . have we ever used a supermajority [to raise taxes]?" - Rep. Jim McIntire (D - 46) Despite the arrogance of some state officials, Washington's constitution is clear: "All political power is inherent in the people..." |
