 | Greetings Sound Politics Readers,
Mr. Sharkansky invited me to guest-blog today as an April Fools prank. I think I surprised him (and my staff) when I overcame my initial skepticism and accepted his offer. Although I frequently disagree with Mr. Sharkansky's opinions, I honor the passion for civic affairs that he and you, his readers, display. So I'll take this opportunity to show you that I have a better sense of humor than my skeptics sometimes credit me with, and also to cut through the sometimes heated partisanship that so often divides us, and gets in the way of the fact that we share many underlying values, especially our deep love for this great state of Washington. |
When will taxes and spending in this state return to reasonable levels?
Posted by: Doug on April 1, 2007 09:09 AMIt's hard to believe you did this considering how fanatical most are on this site about the 2004 election and Dems. in general. I hope you VETO any bill that supports tax funding for sports facilities. How about it? Sonics, NASCAR all of them.
Thank you and I have to credit you for doing this
Question: Why do we allow Indian tribes to contribute to political campaigns? Isn't this illegal since they are independent nations?
Posted by: sokala on April 1, 2007 09:27 AM
Will you wear the blue dress for the first husband when you are in office?
Posted by: fRed on April 1, 2007 09:42 AMWhy are we not cutting instead of increasing government spending.
Posted by: GS on April 1, 2007 10:21 AMCG
Posted by: chrisG. on April 1, 2007 10:23 AMIf so, what direction might you take sooner rather than later? Do we have enough state employees? Do they produce value equal to or in excess of the cost? Posted by: eastkingcountyrednecklogger on April 1, 2007 10:26 AM
I do not believe this a real posting. (Gunshy from recent elections 'irregularities' and 'reforms.')
However, like the existence of heaven & hell, I'll hedge my bets anyway, "just in case."
I'll believe the veracity of this post when i see real, ENFORCED, implemented recommendations from independent performance audits for all relevant public entities & schools in WA. (hint--does ferry system cash ring a bell?)
And--an end to ALL benefits for WA's illegal aliens. WA legal citizens are first. Others can provide for themselves or through private charities & private sponsors/donors. After all, illegals managed to come here somehow on their own (uninvited) accord & power.
Thank you.
Posted by: jimmie-howya-doin on April 1, 2007 10:57 AMQuestion - The regional turf wars over transit and major roads has just worn all of us out. City vs. state, county vs. city, etc.
Will you take leadership and articulate the priority projects as the leader of the state and keeper of the purse and these largely being state projects.??
Tired of legislative intrigue as substitute for policy and clear and clean leadership.
Thanks, GB
Posted by: George Bakan on April 1, 2007 10:58 AMWhy does this state charge itself sales tax on the goods and services that it buys? Especially transportation projects. I don't know of any other states that do this.
A quick way to get an additional 8.x% of funds is to stop collecting sales tax on transportation projects. This is particularly crucial given the recent large increases in the project cost estimates, the eroding of the project lists and the increasing taxes to support these projects.
Or is this a way to divert transportation dedicated funds to the general fund?
For the entirety of my lifetime in the Northwest, the transportation has seemed so poorly thought out and executed upon, and then fought about so divisively when corrections are suggested. What do you think is the root of our historically schizophrenic decision making regarding public transportation and personal mobility?
One historical point I could use to illustrate is why does I-5 run straight through the cities instead of around them with feeder corridors leading in and out of the city centers? It introduces heavy traffic and car congestion, without many good valves to release flow. We found funding for that bad alignment megaproject yet the succesful Interurban rail network was completely dismantled against popular opinion in the 1940s. We are now seeing the costs of rebuilding what the prewar generation had already accomplished in the Sound Transit projects.
How have we come to inherit so many bad decisions and what can you do to help untie them?
(I misposted this at ask the governor ii April 1, 2007 11:23 AM, apologies for duplication)
Posted by: Acid Brain on April 1, 2007 11:26 AMI think that there is much to be gained from an honest, third party look at how the state does contracting, especially within DSHS, where many entities providing services are given no-bid, automatically renewed contracts without the state having the slightest idea of what the actual costs to provide the service might be. (Yes, it's true.)
I suggested to a DSHS auditor that the state start looking at "Cost" or cost-plus contracts instead of blank checks.
Also, once a charitable org in WA state no longer solicits money from the public, or has gambling revenue, they are no longer monitored by ANY state department (Secretary of State or the Gambling Commission) for possible malfeasance. I think that money derived from the public should be accountable to the public...not hidden in a veil of secrecy when a charity chooses to do so.
No April Fools joke here; Stephan can give you my email to contact me direct about these issues.
Respectfully Submitted, Old Faithful
Does your conscience bother you at night when you realize you were not democratically elected but rather stole the election through King County elections chicanery?
Or doesn't it bother you at all that we no longer live under a democracy in Washington State?
Posted by: pbj on April 1, 2007 12:15 PMWhy are state funds used for the wholesale purchase of booze, warehousing it, and distributing it to satellite retail outlets? Why does the state fund a system of maintaining firewater stores? Why are unionized hirelings kept on the state payroll and provided insurance and pension benefits to peddle joy juice?
Couldn't the state still tax inebriants and rake in income while allowing them to be marketed at grocery stores, drug stores, and big box stores?
Is the current system a means of keeping Californiaism out and making this a world class state?
I am sure you are doing the very best you can.
Therein lies the problem.
Name 3 things you believe Governor Rossi would have done to benefit taxpayers of this State that you were unwilling to do because of your debt to organized labor? Posted by: Mr. Cynical on April 1, 2007 12:21 PM
Will taxes in our state ever reach a more reasonable level and what, if anything is being done to that end? I understand our system is inhabited by many people, each with different beliefs and priorities. However, when my family must make difficult fiscal choices, we plan and compromise rather than "take" a payraise. It appears to us lowly citizens than anytime the legistlature wants to fund some new pet project, they just raise taxes (eg. Ron Sims) without any regard to the bottom of the taxpayer's pockets, rather than prioritize and choose.
Thank you for taking the time to entertain some of our concerns.
Respectfully
Posted by: Trent on April 1, 2007 12:49 PM1) Please explain the emergency you perceive related to HB2079.
2) Will you sign this bill if it comes to you with an emergency clause?
3) Will you commit to vetoing any bill's with a frivolous emergency declaration ?
Posted by: Reluctant Farmer on April 1, 2007 12:53 PMThe Queen would NEVER post here.
She hasn't the intestinal fortitude to do so.
Otherwise she would have made herself available before now in a number of other media outlets.
But I'll play along and post a comment or two like she really is posting (which is just like she's dong such a bang up job as Governor.)
Posted by: Jack Burton on April 1, 2007 03:00 PMDuring the disputed 2004 election, you used the cover of a death threat (which was subsequently proven as not credible) to indict as you said "those talk show radios." What's your stance on the FCC Fairness Doctrine which many Democrats want to bring back as a way of suppressing freedom of speech on the radio airwaves?
Posted by: Jeff B. on April 1, 2007 03:41 PMWhat's your stance on the ever growing Mountain of Evidence that both disproves anthropogenic Global Warming, and indicates that we will be powerless to have a significant effect on reversing Global Warming, even given the proposed extreme economic measures?
Posted by: Jeff B. on April 1, 2007 03:45 PMThis session in Olympia has proven beyond the shadow of a doubt that you politicians do not give a damn about the taxpayers, you care only about shoving massive amounts of taxpayer money in your worthless bureaucracies and the special interests who are in bed with you. Tim Eyman is our only representative (and far more respected than you) because he sticks up for us. When are you going to do the same?
Posted by: Angry Taxpayer on April 1, 2007 04:04 PM