Results tagged “deficit”

(via Publicola, who stick their noses into politics so we don't have to) more ›

Back in early February, we were reporting on the education reform bill HB 1410 and the debate about the merits of the reformation. Then we asked you to lobby up--pro or con--because lawmakers were listening. Today Publicola has the news that HB 1410 has been tabled and a new, even more vague idea for a notion of education reform has "sailed out of Rep. Haigh’s education appropriations committee." Just to point up the Titanic/deck chairs angle for those of you watching from home, neither of the two bills had a defined funding source, which you'd think would be an important place to start in a state facing an $8 billion deficit. more ›

First, check your smoke detector. The Bellevue woman who died in last night's fire had her smoke detector battery in backwards. Next, check with your supervisor: Boeing workers get their pink slips today. That's another 1,100 people who won't be working or shopping much, exacerbating Washington State's projected $8 billion budget shortfall. Check your credit limit, too. Do you really think it' a good idea to be buy all that new Ken Griffey merch? more ›

Yes, Virginia, there really is a viaduct decision. "After years of debates, arguments and advisory votes the replacement for the Alaskan Way Viaduct will finally be chosen next month," says the P-I. The viaduct is all over both dailies, with the Seattle Times pointing out that the state's projected $4.6 billion deficit isn't likely to affect transportation decisions as much as you'd think: "Transportation has a separate budget with its own source of revenue — primarily the gasoline tax, which is more stable than the sales tax." The surface street option still pencils out as the least expensive, fastest-to-buid choice, but at $800-$900 million and five years of construction, would still take quite a toll on the north-south commute. more ›

A lot has happened since November 4; we decided to spend $1.4 billion more than we thought we would on November 3, for one thing. State legislators learned of the new $4.6 billion estimate this morning, says the P-I. In response, Governor Gregoire has asked state agencies to look at cuts of up to 20 percent across the board. You already know what the Republicans will say about this, so we turned to the plucky third-party GOP candidate, Dino Rossi. Whoops, nothing there. So back to the Republicans. Nothing there either. It's like these people only care about budgets when there's an election. more ›

Governor Christine Gregoire has admitted Washington is facing a budget deficit for 2009-11 (currently the state has a surplus), after third-party "GOP" candidate (He's what now? A Republican?) Dino Rossi staked out the issue. Now that she's announced cutbacks and a raid on the state's rainy day fund to cut the projected $3.2 billion deficit by half, Rossi can't find anything good to say about that, either. It is thrilling to hear a Republican deride reckless deficit spending; Ronald Reagan was all for it. But besides his time machine which transports tomorrow's deficits to today, Rossi seems to have a magic calculator, too--his 8-lane 520 bridge practically pays for itself. more ›

The Seattle Times--almost coming right out and saying something without regard for nuance and subtlety--has decided to set the facts straight about that Washington state deficit the Dino-Rossi-for-Gov ads are whacking Gov Gregoire over the head with. "The ads assert the state has a deficit. [...] The ad is inaccurate for this reason: The state is facing a projected $3.2 billion budget hole next year, but it does not have a deficit today." In fact, for this fiscal year we've got a surplus. We have to hand it to Rossi though: A major ad campaign tarring someone for how they've handled the future is an example of bold leadership. more ›