The front-page, above-the-fold news story in today's Seattle Times makes it clear that Olympia's Democrats -- Gregoire and the Dems who control the state house and state senate -- are facing huge pressure to raise taxes. It also illustrates the need for everyone to keep fighting on behalf of taxpayers.
STATE DEMOCRATS FACING REVOLT BY LABOR
By Andrew Garber, Seattle Times, Wednesday, November 11, 2009
State Democratic lawmakers have a revolt on their hands among major labor groups that provide the party crucial support during elections. The Washington State Labor Council, the Service Employees International Union and unions representing teachers and state workers have either stopped or sharply reduced donations to Democratic caucus political-action committees that back candidates for the state House and Senate. "I think the labor movement is more serious about withholding support from Democratic candidates this year than I have seen in my 30 years in politics," said Dwight Pelz, chairman of the state Democratic Party. There's even talk of trying to defeat some Democratic incumbents if they don't support issues important to labor in the next legislative session -- such as raising taxes to help close a growing budget shortfall.
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All of this puts Democrats in a tough spot. Raising taxes in an election year is politically risky. But so is alienating the party's base. Democrats currently control the House, the Senate and the governor's office. Labor groups typically donate several hundred thousand dollars a year to the Democratic caucus PACs, controlled by House and Senate leaders, and provide volunteers to staff phone banks and campaign door to door. But this year, labor donations are a fraction of years past.
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Labor groups are unhappy with lawmakers for not raising taxes to help close the $9 billion budget shortfall earlier this year.
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The next legislative session will be key, they said, to labor support in the 2010 election. A big issue will be how the Democrats close a shortfall approaching $2 billion in the current state budget. Democratic lawmakers who don't support a tax increase and fall short on other labor issues could find themselves without union support. Or even become a target.
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In the upcoming legislative session "there are people who will have to get off a fence this year and grow some courage," said David Rolf, president of Service Employees International Union Local 775.
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There's nothing courageous about taking more of the people's money. We already face extraordinarily tough economic times and raising taxes will only make things worse.
On election night, we said: "The tug-of-war over taxes continues with or without I-1033." Today's Seattle Times story shows that the other side is pulling the rope HARD in favor of higher taxes. Taxpayers need help pulling the rope against higher taxes.
Posted by Tim Eyman at November 11, 2009 03:13 PM | Email ThisCompetition works where ever its tried, and if the Unions had to compete for its members and give them a choice as to whether or not they had to join or pay a 'representation fee', then the unions would be a whole lot less powerful.
Democrats, I realize it's a relationship with the unions, but it doesn't have to be a suicide pact either.
Posted by: RinaseaofDs on November 11, 2009 03:56 PMCompetition works where ever its tried, and if the Unions had to compete for its members and give them a choice as to whether or not they had to join or pay a 'representation fee', then the unions would be a whole lot less powerful.
Democrats, I realize it's a relationship with the unions, but it doesn't have to be a suicide pact either.
Posted by: RinaseaofDs on November 11, 2009 04:04 PMI'm sure my next-door neighbor who's been out of work for a year will not be impressed with your tax hikes...
Posted by: Michele on November 11, 2009 04:59 PMI'm a sympathizer with the intent of most of your initiatives, and a firm believer in limited government.
That said, I wonder if it might behoove you for your next initiative to take a new approach. That is, take the best bill idea proposed by a legislator during session that did not become law and use that as your initiative. There's plenty of good, solid bill ideas dropped by intelligent Republicans in Olympia that don't go anywhere. Heck, several of them even get good editorials written about them by the mainstream press.
Why not use one of their ideas? You'd have the advantage of knowing it was constitutionally drafted, knowing what the press thinks about the bill, and have built in allies. And, frankly, it could be used as a vehicle to increase the Republicans down in Olympia, as you and they could spend the whole run up to the election going, "Geez, this is such a good commonsense idea, but why didn't it go anywhere in Olympia?"
There's easily a handful of bills being held up by Democrat majorities that if the public had a chance to vote they'd pass with over 60%. One example was the Rainy Day Fund idea, which Gov. Gregoire borrowed from Republicans for her re-election bid. But there are plenty of other ideas still out there. Pick your topic . . . property taxes, health care, education, transportation, government reform.
Just a thought,
Donovan
Posted by: Donovan on November 11, 2009 06:42 PMInstead, they'll take their campaign funds and go out and spend more money on yard signs.
Posted by: johnny on November 12, 2009 07:06 AMTherefore, if you really have motivation to improve the state of the state GOP, then I suggest you start by getting involved with your local precinct.
Change starts with us.
Posted by: Jack Turk on November 12, 2009 08:15 AMFor the last few years, I've donated my money to Tim Eyeman instead of the state GOP and will continue to do so until they learn this is a battle of ideas instead of yard signs.
Tim may lose campaigns a lot of the time, but at least he elevates issues and calls dems to the carpet. Even when he loses, he's more effective than the WA GOP and what's amazing about that is how far the state GOP tries to distance themselves from him.
I don't expect the GOP to change during the limited time I'll still be here, and figure that state economy is going to be dominated for the next several years by deeply disheartened former Boeing workers wondering where their jobs went anyway. I'm moving to someplace where they still build freeways and create jobs.
(The company I work for is moving me and close to 100 other highly paid workers to Texas because they are sick of the "punish the producers" attitude in this state.)
Posted by: johnny on November 12, 2009 10:09 AM
Jack Turk, are you giving it another go?
Posted by: swatter on November 12, 2009 11:53 AMBut, believe me, not one of the "organized" part of public sector unions will ever mark their "mail in acorn ballots" with an R mark. When it is crunch time, the only spelling they know will start with D.
*Please, send help!
Posted by: fRed on November 12, 2009 05:03 PMAnd why shouldn't they?
The voters of this State keep voting for these people. We get the government that we deserve.
Posted by: Kato on November 12, 2009 10:50 PM"Even though I'm paranoid it doen't mean they are not out to get me".
Posted by: REBEL on November 13, 2009 07:20 AMYou want to do a real initiative to follow 1033 that I'd even support? Instead of limit tax increases to 1%.....tie it with salary, pay, and benefit increase limited to 1% with focusing on unions. Those guys FAR exceed 1%....even 3% probably because of binding arbitration. They're the last to get cut before other popular services like libraries, roads, etc.
It's a harder road to travel, but if you pull it off you even might get some elected officials on board.
Posted by: Matty on November 13, 2009 06:31 PM