A hard lesson learned, so, let’s try and scare the shit out of the people!
Voters sent a clear message on Election Day: no new taxes and no more of the taxes just passed by the state Legislature.
Gov. Chris Gregoire says she hears that message loud and clear, but warns it’ll force lawmakers to make drastic and painful cuts.
The state’s tax on soda, bottled water and candy were put in place a few months ago. But with the passage of Initiative 1107, those taxes are about to disappear, leaving an even budget hole for lawmakers.
“We’re not at a point where we’re going to take scissors and cut around the edges; we’re going to take programs and get rid of them,” Gregoire said.
The governor says Democrats counted on the taxes from soda, bottled water and candy to help fill the $4.5 billion budget hole, and loss of those taxes will add other $220 million to that deficit over the next two years.
Just a thought in the dark, but, instead of spending so much to start with, why not use the people’s money wisely, and not run the spending up, to end up in a $4.5 billion whole.
BTW, I-1107, which stopped the idiotic taxation on food and beverages, passed 63% to 37%.
