Opinion
GOP Rep Votes Against Own Bill Because of GOP Amendment Against Raising Taxes
We already published today's Afternoon Jolt—winner: new Seattle state Rep. Gerry Pollet/loser: state Sen. Michael Baumgartner— but we had to weigh in on this other bit of news. There's a loser and winner in here somewhere: The state house passed legislation
today that says the state will cover Wenatchee's $42 million debt on its regional convention center.[pullquote]“If this is a bailout, it’s a bailout for every city in the state”---state house Ways and Means chair Ross Hunter (D-48).[/pullquote]
Last month , we made fun of state Rep. Mike Armstrong (R-12, Wenatchee), the sponsor of the controversial bill.
We originally laughed about Armstrong and his bill because two years ago , he sponsored the infamous stick-it-to-Seattle provision in the tunnel legislation that said the state would not pick up any overrun costs for Seattle's special tunnel project. Now here he was asking the state to bail out Wenatchee's fancy Town Toyota Center, as it's known, on a $42 million debt.
But it gets even funnier. This afternoon, when the house passed the bill 56-33, Armstrong actually voted against it. Why? Because a faction of hard-line conservatives in his caucus included an amendment that gave voters in nine jurisdictions in and around Wenatchee yea or nay power over the Wenatchee region's ability to raise taxes to pay the state back. Armstrong—a Republican who supports Tim Eyman's two-thirds rule on raising taxes (he voted against overturning it)—thinks the provision didn't give the city enough flexibility to pay back the state. What, for example, happens he reasons like a Democrat objecting to Eyman's rules, if the prerequisite for raising taxes is too difficult ? It will kill their ability to pay the state back—or they'll have to cut local services. Armstrong's district voted for 1053, 74 to 25. We have a call in to Armstrong.
Armstong's co-sponsor, Democratic ways and means chair Rep. Ross Hunter (D-48, Medina), says the bill was necessary because the bond markets would have raised rates on the whole state, screwing over projects in cities statewide. “If this is a bailout, it’s a bailout for every city in the state,” Hunter says.
The bailout money isn’t coming from the general fund, it is coming from a reserve account of local sales tax dollars that the state collects and, after taking its share, sends back to cities.
Last month , we made fun of state Rep. Mike Armstrong (R-12, Wenatchee), the sponsor of the controversial bill.
We originally laughed about Armstrong and his bill because two years ago , he sponsored the infamous stick-it-to-Seattle provision in the tunnel legislation that said the state would not pick up any overrun costs for Seattle's special tunnel project. Now here he was asking the state to bail out Wenatchee's fancy Town Toyota Center, as it's known, on a $42 million debt.
But it gets even funnier. This afternoon, when the house passed the bill 56-33, Armstrong actually voted against it. Why? Because a faction of hard-line conservatives in his caucus included an amendment that gave voters in nine jurisdictions in and around Wenatchee yea or nay power over the Wenatchee region's ability to raise taxes to pay the state back. Armstrong—a Republican who supports Tim Eyman's two-thirds rule on raising taxes (he voted against overturning it)—thinks the provision didn't give the city enough flexibility to pay back the state. What, for example, happens he reasons like a Democrat objecting to Eyman's rules, if the prerequisite for raising taxes is too difficult ? It will kill their ability to pay the state back—or they'll have to cut local services. Armstrong's district voted for 1053, 74 to 25. We have a call in to Armstrong.
Armstong's co-sponsor, Democratic ways and means chair Rep. Ross Hunter (D-48, Medina), says the bill was necessary because the bond markets would have raised rates on the whole state, screwing over projects in cities statewide. “If this is a bailout, it’s a bailout for every city in the state,” Hunter says.
The bailout money isn’t coming from the general fund, it is coming from a reserve account of local sales tax dollars that the state collects and, after taking its share, sends back to cities.
