LIVING LIBERTY

October 2003

Stewardship . . . on the road and at home
by Jason Mercier

The passage of a state budget balanced without general tax increases was great news this last legislative session, but it was just the beginning for EFF. Even before the governor's ink dried on the new budget, we began laying the groundwork for taking priority-based budgeting to the next level—for capitalizing on the recent success to take responsible state budgeting further both at home and around the nation.

Here are some of the things we've been working on . . .

Other states
Bob Williams has made presentations or chaired panels on priority-based budgeting for three major national organizations: the National Conference of State Legislatures, the American Legislative Exchange Council, and the State Policy Network. These have resulted in calls from lawmakers and policy analysts from around the nation.

California
No matter what happens with the California recall effort, EFF has already played a part in shaping the budget debate down there. The two top Republican candidates—Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sen. Tom McClintock—have both expressed interest in our priority-based budgeting model. We've been more than happy to provide help and suggestions.

Alabama
The Alabama Christian Coalition, which played a large part in defeating Governor Bob Riley's $1.2 billion tax increase plan, posted our Stewardship Project on their website to help make the case for priority-based budgeting in Alabama. We've also discussed ideas and recommendations with Alabama's House Minority Leader.

Oregon
Taking a cue from our legislators, Oregon officials approved a massive tax increase despite the fact that voters rejected earlier attempts. Signature-gatherers are already working hard to force the issue to a general vote, and the new increase may be defeated. We've been involved in discussions with Oregon's Department of Administrative Services about priority-based budgeting, and they "love" our Stewardship Project. We also held a briefing for Oregon lawmakers.

Colorado
Bob Williams has been working with Governor Bill Owens' staff and Senate President John Andrews on ways to implement priority-based budgeting there.

Policy organizations
EFF's sister think tanks in Mississippi, Vermont, Oklahoma, Nevada and Utah have reprinted parts of our Stewardship Project. Organizations in Oregon, Maine, Kentucky, and New York may soon do the same.

Media
Fox News Online published an article written by Bob Williams and Lynn Harsh, and the Seattle Times published an editorial written by Bob on August 26.

Here at home
We have had many meetings with Washington's Office of Financial Management (OFM) on how to improve the priority-based budgeting process. We also met with key legislators recently regarding DSHS's stated priorities and the refusal of the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction to prioritize programs.

On September 18, EFF held two briefings for legislators outlining the steps necessary for long term success in Washington.

Priority-based budgeting is the key to resolving the state's over-spending problems and building a strong foundation for responsible spending now and in the future.

Contact: Jason Mercier | Budget Research Analyst | 360.956.3482

Living Liberty is the Evergreen Freedom Foundation's monthly newsletter. It provides updates on the issues and projects EFF is currently working on. You will also find commentary on state and sometimes federal government issues.

Living Liberty is available for our members only. Please click here if you would like to become a member.

Evergreen Freedom Foundation P.O. Box 552, Olympia, WA 98507 Phone: (360) 956-3482, Fax: (360) 352-1874 Email: effwa@effwa.org