Mrs. Gregoire is trying to position herself as "good for business", taking credit for all sorts of economic good news. Credulous liberal journalists might believe Gregoire, but actual business people understand that Mrs. Gregoire's 30-month occupation of the Governor's office has very little to do with the success of corporate giants like Boeing and Microsoft, or with long-term trends in the regional economy. Gregoire has no more bragging rights for the success of Washington's economy than for the Dow reaching an all-time high or the success of the new Harry Potter movie. Of course, government can dampen the business climate through high taxes, excessive regulation and unsustainable entitlement programs, but those effects won't be immediate. And Gregoire's overspending will come home to roost.
And another of Gregoire's actions reveals that she expects less support from businesspeople than from the recipients of government handouts. She recently signed an executive order turning the DSHS into a voter registration agency, after a similar bill failed in the legislature. It's good for government to make it convenient for citizens to register to vote, but only when government assists all citizens equally. When government selectively targets citizens (or non-citizens) to offer voter registration assistance, then such voter registration drives are an inappropriate use of public resources for campaign purposes.
If Mrs. Gregoire truly believed that businesspeople believed she was good for business, she would order ALL state agencies to offer voter registration assistance, including those agencies that frequently interact with businesses. For example, when someone incorporates a business, pays a business or professional licensing fee, files B&O taxes, or is subject to a Department of Revenue audit or investigation by Labor and Industries, the agency should, during such interactions, also offer to help register the business owners and their employees.
But apparently Mrs. Gregoire doesn't think that encouraging people in the private sector to vote is good for her political future. And probably for good reason.
UPDATE: Postman makes a similar point that Gregoire is probably taking too much credit for economic growth rooted in actions that predate her occupation of the Governor's Office, attributing some of the state's economic health to fiscally responsible budgets written by former Gov. Gary Locke and former State Senate budget chairman Dino Rossi.
Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at July 18, 2007 11:49 AM | Email ThisGeez, you would almost think that the Democrats are out to ruin the country by making sure that those who contribute nothing but take as much as possible get to have a say in which direction the country goes...almost.
Posted by: REBEL on July 18, 2007 12:24 PMWho cares if Boeing rakes in money, if their workers can't afford to living in a house that costs $200,000 in Madison, Wisconsin, but $500,000 here in Puget Sound -- which has more crime, lower environmental quality, more traffic, ...
Heh heh. Silly Republican.
Posted by: TB on July 18, 2007 12:55 PMHeh Heh. Brainwashed Democrat.
As for Madison, the reason things are cheaper there is because there is less demand. In other words, fewer people want to live in a frozen over hell that idolizes the USSR.
I've been there several times - the place is in dire need of a cash influx.
Posted by: John Galt on July 18, 2007 02:51 PMReally? And will the US Government fund that company with Defense dollars when the commercial part can't make a buck? As they did for Boeing from 1996 to 2005?
#12: "As for Madison..."
Clearly you work for the Seattle-Times-Post-Intelligencer real estate pumping shills who keep saying (in ever decreasing radii) how the Puget Sound market is "sacrosanct".
Meanwhile, $180,000 2 and 3 bedroom townhomes are being advertised in Puyallup.
At the national level see: http://www.whitehouse.gov/infocus/economy/
At the state level see: http://www.forwardbooks.com/ecatalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&ref=7&products_id=1&affiliate_banner_id=1
Guess you guys are pritnear geniuses.
Posted by: Malcom Forbes on July 18, 2007 08:19 PMYou know the thing that LIB's just hate.
TAX-CUTS.......... and it works everytime. (-:
Man I'm loving this.
John B
Let's see Boeing doing great with Mil jobs. Hmm No tanker contract. Many job loses.
Where you been?
Posted by: Army Medic/Vet on July 19, 2007 07:10 AMDeath Tax - Service Corporation of America and others. However Bill Gates' Dad is for it. If my child was the richest person in America I'll be for it also as I would not be interested in leaving a monetary legacy to my child.
GMA - to many companies to list. Personally know of at least 23 companies that have moved.
Property Regulations and Development Costs - Boeing and a host of other companies
L&I - The business equivalent of DSHS.
B&O - The impact is profound
Schools appear are unable to produce high level programmers to satisfy the demand of local software companies. MSFT imports programmers from India.
All in all Washington State fails in providing a business friendly environment. The most endearing qualities of the State have nothing to do with Government Policy. Mountains, Climate and Water were not created by Government, although they would have us believe that they not only created it but restored it.
By the way some of the reasons for the high cost of housing are: GMA; Regulations; Permitting Fees; Property Taxes; and a shortage of private property as the various governments on the Federal; State and local levels own over 60% of the available land. And Blue Sky will only add land to public ownership.
Posted by: Snuffy on July 19, 2007 07:57 AMWhy do businesses need to pay the state an annual fee to have LLC at the end of their name. The state performs no service for this fee.
Posted by: Andy on July 19, 2007 11:08 AMwe have in-state tuition and all sorts of benes for illegals, life-micromanaging new rules at every turn and never a tax repeal nor a govt program sunset. we also cringe at performance audits of OUR tax monies--ANY business would thrive under the same criteria, right?
Posted by: jimmie-howya-doin on July 22, 2007 06:25 AM