Resolution to be Considered at January Meeting
January 4, 2010 – 8:59 pm by smwolfejrA Resolution Concerning a Revenue Solution to the Washington State Budget Deficit
Whereas, our platform states that Democratic values include health care for all, high-quality public education, the elimination of poverty, the end of homelessness and the achievement of justice for all.
Whereas, Washington State is facing a $2.6 billion shortfall in the 2010 supplemental budget.
Whereas, cutting another $2.6 billion from the 2009-2011 bi-annual budget would result in:
- Over 65,000 people losing access to affordable health insurance;
- 16,000 children losing health insurance coverage;
- Over 20,000 people unable to work due to disability losing financial and medical assistance;
- 12,300 students from lower income families losing an important source of financial aid;
- 10,000 working families per month losing child care assistance;
- 1,500 three-year-olds losing access to early learning opportunities.1
Whereas, the damage from cutting another $2.6 billion to our education system, health care infrastructure, public safety, and environmental protections would impact all Washingtonians.2
Whereas, when presenting her “all-cuts” budget Gov. Gregoire stated, “This document is not true to the values I believe in and which have guided me through a 30-year career in public service.”
Whereas, Democratic leaders in the House and Senate joined the Governor in calling for new taxes to help close the budget gap.
Therefore be it Resolved, that the members of the 37th Legislative District Democrats, direct Rep Sharon Tomiko Santos, Rep. Eric Pettigrew, Speaker of the House Frank Chopp, Sen. Adam Kline, Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown and Gov. Christine Gregoire to find a revenue solution to the $2.6 billion shortfall in the 2010 supplemental budget.
Be it Further Resolved, that all revenue solutions should be explored including, but not limited to, amending the Washington State Constitution to allow an Income Tax, raising property taxes, raising the B&O taxes and repealing non-performing tax exemptions.
Be it Further Resolved, that any revenue solution involving an increase in the regressive state sales tax be accompanied with a mechanism to mitigate the adverse effects such an increase would have on low income families and individuals.
Be it Further Resolved, that upon passage this resolution be communicated to the KCDCC, the WSDCC, Rep. Sharon Tomiko Santos, Rep. Eric Pettigrew, Speaker of the House Frank Chopp, Sen. Adam Kline, Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown and Gov. Christine Gregoire
- Washington State Budget and Policy Center (http://www.budgetandpolicy.org/schmudget/governors-budget-shows-need-for-balanced-approach)
- Ibid.
Printable version: MS Word: Resolution
One Response to “Resolution to be Considered at January Meeting”
Nice to see a resolution posted as this is good so people can think about it for later discussion. I disagree with the state income tax unless we are willing to end the federal income tax (do we need to be spending all this money in Iraq and Afganastan when we havn’t even formally declared a war?????). Getting back to the resolution, the 46th Democrat Chair stated recently at a public meeting that we need to get back to “the meaning of what it is to be a citizen”; this I agree. A good citizen needs to understand that reaching out and doing what he/she can to help others is the best way to try to solve our social problems; in communities, we understand each other better than an agency at best does. But many of us have not been good citizens lately in regards to trying to help others (not us here on this site of course since we are active), thus we have left it up to agencies to care for the problems of our youth and broken families (agencies that cost money to run). Also, we have left it up to agencies to protect corporations instead of make them responsible for the problems they cause, like global warming and taxing them for pollution instead of just having them plain stop. I also don’t understand why the federal government wants Washington to expand programs (such as unemployment benefits) but not expand jobs (for all, not just the transportation sector)? Why did we vote for the governor anyhow, wasn’t she promising no new taxes? Everyone knew the housing crisis would happen and this would not create enough revenue (as there is an excise tax from the sale of property-that is really going to drop once May hits). The budget should have been adjusted three years ago when we saw a decline in real estate markets in other parts of the country plus the continued oursourcing of jobs. Money has been going out of the local and state economies for years and for a governor having sat in a position as she has for awhile, she obviously knew this and now is telling us it is do or die time. I don’t buy it and if you know anything about real estate, then you wouldn’t go for this either.
By citizen on Jan 11, 2010