No, We're Disappointed in You, Governor

When the inevitable anti-tunnel initiative was filed, Governor Gregoire said she'd be disappointed if there was a delay. (A delay? Dealing with the viaduct? Pshaw.) The governor is in a hurry to disburse that estimated $2.8 billion, conjured up for a design that's said to be one percent complete. (Here we pause to admire the precision of knowing what one percent of a plan looks like.)

But given the state's dependence on tax revenues likely to be affected by a recessionary economy, it's a live question whether a deep bored tunnel represents over-spending at odds with future revenues. What is not in question is that the governor has already been slashing the budget everywhere else to make up for dwindling income.

Schmudget, the newish blog by the Budget and Policy Center, rakes her over the coals for a budget that "undermines progress" and is likely to increase homelessness.

So "vital corridor" through Seattle=1. Education, health, economic security of state citizens=0.

More to the point, the Schmudget elves have graphed out the fact that the state has been cutting back on public investment since 1995. "The ability of the state tax structure to pay for normal growth in government spending has been deteriorating for over a decade," they say. We can't lay that at the governor's feet--but it's odd to be in a leaky boat, with bailers being overwhelmed, and see someone going long on concrete.