By Dave Parkhurst, business man and activist here in Pierce County literally DESTROYS Jay Inslee’s lies and all the arguments against I-976
How about some honesty and clarity about I-976, Gov. Inslee? The State estimates that I-976 will reduce tax income in the next 6 years by $1.9b and $2.3b in local govts income. If the current level of govt spending is required (it is not if you review the numbers), then how could the state adjust? In the next 2 years ALONE (not 6), the state has an extra $2-3 billion in budget surplus, depending on who you talk to. This from a state govt that taxes and spends like drunken sailors! Wow, I just solved the problem- can I get a fat consulting contract please?
But let’s say you don’t want to do that. Then what? The state budget this biennium is…wait for it….$55 billion dollars. Yes, that’s right. $55 billion.
You think in a $55 Billion dollar 2 year budget, they can’t easily adjust 3% of the operating budget? Any person or organization who can’t make a 3% adjustment in a 2 year period is financially incompetent and shouldn’t be anywhere near public finances. Looking at it another way, in the same biennium that the state has an extra $2-3 billion, they will take $1.4 billion less from taxpayers because of I-976. These are based on the state OMB numbers, not mine. That will still leave the state a minimum of half a billion in cash EXTRA! $500,000,000 extra, so you get the point. So the hand wringing and disaster predicting are nothing more than tantrums from rich bureaucracies that don’t like accountability.
Sound Transit is another thing entirely as it’s utterly out of control and malfunctioning on so many levels that I’m not going to comment now. The actual financial benefits of I-976 to citizens and in particular the WORKING POOR in this state cannot be overstated.
… Dave Parkhurst
