Web and Tech News in the Northwest

I came across this article today in the Spokesman Review.  The Senator, current majority leader, wants to change the current requirement, two thirds majority, to a simple majority needed to increase taxes.

From SR:  “The flak was no surprise, Brown said. But after 15 years in Olympia, watching lawmakers struggle to balance a budget in an up-and-down economy, she said, it just seemed like time to clarify the law. In a representative democracy there’s a careful balance of powers, she said, and the two-thirds requirement threatens that.”

Um, how many of you use a budget, either at home or at your company.  Yeah, most of you, that’s what I thought.  Here is a quick question, when your bills are MORE than your revenue (income), whatsoever are you to do?  Let’s see, in my house, and in my company, it’s pretty easy.  The fix is simple, 100% effective and, well, is just the right thing to do.  WE CUT DOWN OUR SPENDING.  I know, I know, it’s a hard concept to get a hold of.  I mean, if I have $1000 in bills, but only bring in $800, you turn off the cable, no more movie nights and you eat rice and beans.  Why is this such a hard idea for our elected leaders, democrats and republicans, to get a hold of?

More from SR:

“Unhappy with taxes, Washingtonians in 1993 passed Initiative 601. It set in place the two-thirds law that Brown is challenging. Lawmakers, including Brown, later approved it as well, and voters reaffirmed it in I-960 last year. “People work hard for the money they earn,” said Tim Eyman, who’s made a career out of running anti-tax ballot measures. “It should be really hard for the government to take it away from them.””

Now, I’m not necessarily a fan of Eyman, but isn’t this democracy in action.  The people of Washington State were unhappy with how their elected officials were taxing the bread right off their table.  So what did they do when their leaders stopped listening and kept taxing?  They passed an initiative that made it harder for our public servants to raise taxes, I’m sure they hoped it would push them to manage their money better, but that doesn’t seem to be the case.

Now the good Senator has files a lawsuit.  Why?  So she can raise taxes more easily.  Higher taxes, means less economic growth, less money in the hands of consumers, which means less buying of your products.  If the she wins the lawsuit, expect more taxes all the way around in Washington State.

So what to do?  Contact your local elected officials here.  Let them know that you want to manage your money, not them.

Tags: taxes, washington