Sound Politics: Putting government first

November 17, 2005

Putting government first

The Seattle City Council is spending an unexpected surplus of tax revenue like a bunch of drunken sailors:

Libraries, social services, transportation projects and a "rainy day" fund received the bulk of $15 million in unexpected tax receipts the Seattle City Council doled out Wednesday.

Those big winners weren't the only ones to get a cut of a projected boost in revenues next year. The council also voted unanimously to spend more on dozens of projects, including building a skateboard park, upgrading Gas Works Park for summer concerts and increasing the council's own budget.

Council Budget Chairman Richard McIver calls this government spending binge "putting people first". Sorry, Richard. Putting people first instead of putting government first would mean returning the found money to the people whom it belongs to.

Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at November 17, 2005 11:06 AM | Email This

Comments

1. If they truly wanted to put people first, they could have put the money towards the Viaduct, since it's such an "emergency" and just ripe to kill untold numbers of drivers. What a load of hooey!

Posted by: katomar on November 17, 2005 11:19 AM

2. Stefan,

Comparing the Seattle City Council to drunken sailors is an insult to drunken sailors everywhere.

At least the sailors are spending their own money.

Posted by: Joseph Cantu on November 17, 2005 11:19 AM

3. ...and you can expect the sailors to actually get what they paid for.

Posted by: Al on November 17, 2005 11:32 AM

4. I will remind you of a wonderful song that I play over and over before I go to the voting booth.

Let me tell you how it will be
There's one for you, nineteen for me
'Cause I'm the taxman, yeah, I'm the taxman

Should five per cent appear too small
Be thankful I don't take it all
'Cause I'm the taxman, yeah I'm the taxman

If you drive a car, I'll tax the street,
If you try to sit, I'll tax your seat.
If you get too cold I'll tax the heat,
If you take a walk, I'll tax your feet.

Don't ask me what I want it for
If you don't want to pay some more
'Cause I'm the taxman, yeah, I'm the taxman

Now my advice for those who die
Declare the pennies on your eyes
'Cause I'm the taxman, yeah, I'm the taxman
And you're working for no one but me.

~The Beatles, Taxman~

Posted by: Taxman on November 17, 2005 11:45 AM

5. Unfortunately, taxman, you are far outnumbered by people who prescribe to this Beatle's philosphy...

Imagine there's no heaven,
It's easy if you try,
No hell below us,
Above us only sky,
Imagine all the people
living for today...

Imagine there's no countries,
It isnt hard to do,
Nothing to kill or die for,
No religion too,
Imagine all the people
living life in peace...

Imagine no possesions,
I wonder if you can,
No need for greed or hunger,
A brotherhood of man,
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world...

You may say Im a dreamer,
but Im not the only one,
I hope some day you'll join us,
And the world will live as one.

Writen by: John Lennon

Posted by: huckleberry on November 17, 2005 11:51 AM

6. Huckleberry,

I don't see any of those people living around here in Washington. As a matter of fact, Lennon didn't live that way either. He lived in a spacious Manhatten apartment with his wife who he said could make hundreds of thousands of dollars on trading on the NYSE. He lived the life of fame and luxury and he certainly wasn't sharing his wealth with all of the people. I don't know of too many people who have proclaimed socialism/facism as a way of life and meant for that way of life to apply to themselves too! Usually all of the nutcases that espouse those philosophies, only want to apply it to everyone else in world.

Posted by: sgmmac on November 17, 2005 12:10 PM

7. "Putting people first"....I like it. Lets start with legal elections and transparent government. That would make me feel special!

Posted by: dl on November 17, 2005 12:11 PM

8. I would be happier is Stefan left Libraries off his drunken sailor list.

I consider building community resources like libraries to be actual good use of funds.

Posted by: karl on November 17, 2005 12:24 PM

9. sgmmac,

The word is hypocrite. The world is filled with hypocrites. Hypocrisy exists on both sides of the political aisle, but in this case, I agree with you that Seattle liberals/socialists are hypocrites with regards to capitalism, as were George Harrison and John Lennon, may they rest in peace.

Posted by: huckleberry on November 17, 2005 12:41 PM

10. Hey, surprise, surprise! Terry Bergeson is already salivating at the prospect of extra money. She has put together a proposed supplemental budget that should eat up a tidy chunk of any projected surplus. Please go to the OSPI website and check out the Message from the State Superintendant. Your tax dollars at work! Let the feeding frenzy begin!

Posted by: Peggy U on November 17, 2005 12:46 PM

11. For once, I'd like to see the idiots that run Seattle do something responsible. There are several projects being built on debt. They could pay down some of that debt.

Light rail, for example, could be paid down partially. Or, they could pay down some of the debt for their luxurious Silly Hall. Or, as someone above mentioned, but down a downpayment on rebuilding the Viaduct.

But, no. They will peess all the money away today instead of investing it for the future.

Posted by: BananaLand (aka Iguana) on November 17, 2005 12:57 PM

12. Doesn't the seawall need immediate attention? Oh yeah I forgot that skateboard park would have to take precedence in Seattle.

Posted by: TrueSoldier on November 17, 2005 01:17 PM

13. The viaduct work was voted numero 1 project in the state. Let's attack the problem (if it is one) like it is the numero 1 problem.

15 mil is a good start at belt tightening.

Unless.......it is not a problem.

Posted by: swatter on November 17, 2005 01:47 PM

14. While $15 mil is only a "drop in the bucket" in that viaduct project, it's something. But I wouldn't expect Seattle to make the choice to spend their windfall on that. They want everyone else's money in the state and county to pay for their new gold plated tunnel.

Just wait....the sucking sound you'll hear in two years is the state/county coming back to you for more money for the viaduct and 520.

Posted by: Palouse on November 17, 2005 02:22 PM

15. I have to ask, WHAT WINDFALL? Isn't this just a PROJECTED budget surplus? I can make all the projections I want about my own finances, then one big car expense, dental expense or house expense will fix it in a hurry! Planning for a rainy day never quite covers it all. I would think that reality would be multiplied tenfold in matters of city and state. Oh, wait, they aren't dealing with reality anyway...My bad.

Posted by: Peggy U on November 17, 2005 02:39 PM

16. Peggy, are you saying that Seattle City Council should not be allocating the projected excess revenue to any projects, or that SPers should stop complaining about Seattle City Council? Your meaning is not clear to me.

Posted by: huckleberry on November 17, 2005 03:24 PM

17. Screw the viaduct, how about a 40 lane tunnel
under the city with banked corners and two feet
thick concrete with no speed limit. (Not that
I have dreamt ever)

Posted by: Mark on November 17, 2005 04:09 PM

18. It seems as if allocating projected revenues is kind of like counting chickens before they hatch. What happens if what is actually collected doesn't meet the projected income? Or if cost adjustments need to be made for projects that are already under way? It means we're in for another round of tax hikes! Please refer back up to Palouse's post if you want further clarification.

Posted by: Peggy U on November 17, 2005 04:15 PM

19. I wonder who Sims and Gregoire will blame now if the viaduct does fail now that they got all the bucks to fix it and can't even make a decision on what to replace it with. I also notice all that extra tax money still does not have I90 cleard off.

Leardership....Ba Humbug

Posted by: GS on November 17, 2005 05:28 PM

20. Surely the giant sucking sound of raised taxes will be limited to the confines of Seattle city limits. Won't it?

Posted by: huckleberry on November 17, 2005 05:59 PM

21. Of course, we wouldn't want to do something responsible with the money, like--say, oh--spending it on a new sea wall. No, that would make sense, so they couldn't do that. Just another example of libs spending their pennies on gum and candy while not paying for the real necessities.

Posted by: Misty on November 17, 2005 06:27 PM

22. I don't live in Seattle, but that sucking noise will cause sinkholes over much of the state. Socialist progressive governmet with out of control spending.. What else is new ? It's alot about getting bigger government - for idol worship of liberalism.

Posted by: KS on November 17, 2005 07:11 PM

23. It is only a coincidence that they didnt mention this large ammount of extra money before the election, right?

Posted by: dave on November 17, 2005 08:22 PM

24. DAY 9---GasTax Guaranteed Traffic Congestion Improvement Vigil
Traffic still sucks!!
In fact, it's even worse!

Posted by: Mr. Cynical on November 17, 2005 09:34 PM

25. How's the "rainy day fund" invested? City bonds? (Hey, if it works for the feds...)

Posted by: Ryan on November 18, 2005 12:06 AM

26. Lkie this really surprises me!!

Posted by: Laurie on November 18, 2005 07:57 AM