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R and D Leaders Preview Their Legislative Wish Lists
Josh is down in Olympia today for the (reportedly chaotic) first day of the budget-focused legislative session.
On Friday, state Democratic and Republican leaders gave a packed room at the downtown Westin Hotel a glimpse at what to expect this year in Olympia.
Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown (D-3, Spokane), House Speaker Frank Chopp (D-43, Seattle), Senate Republican leader Mike Hewitt (R-16, Walla Walla), and House minority floor leader Doug Ericksen (R-42, Ferndale) spoke at a packed CityClub lunch forum on Friday afternoon.
[caption id="attachment_22481" align="alignleft" width="250" caption="Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown"]
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The message from the Democrats, unsurprisingly, was that the state will have to raise taxes this year to fill a $2.6 billion gap in the state budget. Brown called Gov. Chris Gregoire's proposal to raise $700 million in new taxes "a good start," citing potential new taxes on cigarettes, candy, and bottled water. "I do think [with] things like cigarettes and alcohol, people are often willing to say, 'I can pay a little more, as long as it's for a good cause.'"
And Brown vowed to overturn Initiative 960, the Tim Eyman-sponsored 2007 initiative that requires a legislative supermajority to raise taxes. (Legislators can change or overturn initiatives two years after they are passed). "We have to get 960 overturned as soon as possible," Brown said.
"Not all taxes are equal with regard to the economy, and not all budget cuts are equal with regard to their impact on people's jobs," Brown said. "I truly believe that most of the people in this room would pay a few more dollars a month to know that we're not jeopardizing public safety or kicking 67,000 more kids off the [state] health plan."
The Republicans, also unsurprisingly, both said they opposed any tax increase and suggested that the state's financial problems could be solved through deregulation.
"We need to have a sustainable budget," Hewitt said. "You cannot spend two and a half times what you bring in. We are not the federal government. We have to live within our means." As an example of what that might mean, Hewitt cited the legislature's decision in 2003 to make everyone on the state's basic health plan requalify for coverage, knocking a third of participants out of the program.
Ericksen, meanwhile, said he would cut "the regulations on jobs and businesses that are driving jobs out of Washington State," eliminate state agencies "that aren't necessary," and privatize workers' comp insurance.
And he suggested that if Seattle can't decide what it wants to do with the Alaskan Way Viaduct, Eastern Washington would be happy to take our money.
"As someone who actually understands that the Eastside means the east side of the state, not the east side of the lake, I get a little bit irritated with the amount of money we spend waiting for Seattle to make a decision on transportation projects," Ericksen said. "We'd be happy to take that $3 billion and spread it to the rest of Washington."
On Friday, state Democratic and Republican leaders gave a packed room at the downtown Westin Hotel a glimpse at what to expect this year in Olympia.
Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown (D-3, Spokane), House Speaker Frank Chopp (D-43, Seattle), Senate Republican leader Mike Hewitt (R-16, Walla Walla), and House minority floor leader Doug Ericksen (R-42, Ferndale) spoke at a packed CityClub lunch forum on Friday afternoon.
[caption id="attachment_22481" align="alignleft" width="250" caption="Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown"]
[/caption]The message from the Democrats, unsurprisingly, was that the state will have to raise taxes this year to fill a $2.6 billion gap in the state budget. Brown called Gov. Chris Gregoire's proposal to raise $700 million in new taxes "a good start," citing potential new taxes on cigarettes, candy, and bottled water. "I do think [with] things like cigarettes and alcohol, people are often willing to say, 'I can pay a little more, as long as it's for a good cause.'"
And Brown vowed to overturn Initiative 960, the Tim Eyman-sponsored 2007 initiative that requires a legislative supermajority to raise taxes. (Legislators can change or overturn initiatives two years after they are passed). "We have to get 960 overturned as soon as possible," Brown said.
"Not all taxes are equal with regard to the economy, and not all budget cuts are equal with regard to their impact on people's jobs," Brown said. "I truly believe that most of the people in this room would pay a few more dollars a month to know that we're not jeopardizing public safety or kicking 67,000 more kids off the [state] health plan."
The Republicans, also unsurprisingly, both said they opposed any tax increase and suggested that the state's financial problems could be solved through deregulation.
"We need to have a sustainable budget," Hewitt said. "You cannot spend two and a half times what you bring in. We are not the federal government. We have to live within our means." As an example of what that might mean, Hewitt cited the legislature's decision in 2003 to make everyone on the state's basic health plan requalify for coverage, knocking a third of participants out of the program.
Ericksen, meanwhile, said he would cut "the regulations on jobs and businesses that are driving jobs out of Washington State," eliminate state agencies "that aren't necessary," and privatize workers' comp insurance.
And he suggested that if Seattle can't decide what it wants to do with the Alaskan Way Viaduct, Eastern Washington would be happy to take our money.
"As someone who actually understands that the Eastside means the east side of the state, not the east side of the lake, I get a little bit irritated with the amount of money we spend waiting for Seattle to make a decision on transportation projects," Ericksen said. "We'd be happy to take that $3 billion and spread it to the rest of Washington."
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