Once again politicians have satisfied their own goals instead of helping protect citizens of the state of Washington.

 

Gov. Chris Gregoire proposed a temporary half-cent increase to the sales tax on Nov. 21 that could have cut the roughly $1 billion budget deficit in half, according to OregonLive. But, during the recent legislative session that started on Jan. 9, Democrats and Republicans alike have shown opposition to the proposal. This is despite the fact that the entire state could use a relief from the budget cuts that have continued to bludgeon citizens year after year.

 

Voters have shown increased support for additional taxes that could prevent more budget cuts, according to OregonLive. However, state Senator Joe Zarelli (R-Ridgefield) argues that long-term solutions need to be made to solve the current budget problems. But, the only long term solution would be more budget cuts and this means almost definitely balancing the state budget at the expense of the education system again.

 

The Washington State Supreme Court on Jan. 5 made an announcement that the state was not doing enough to fund public education, according to the Mercer Island Reporter. While higher education remains unprotected by the state constitution, it does help emphasize the fact that the state has already gone too far in balancing the budget on the back of its education system.

 

Gregoire, therefore, appears to be the only person in Olympia with a spine. The fact that many in the Legislature balked at the idea of raising taxes does not come as a surprise since doing so would be a politically dangerous venture, but very few options have been left to the Legislature.

 

Washington actually has a regressive tax structure, meaning that lower-income families suffer more from taxes, partially because of the state’s high sales tax. But, since instituting an income tax was made unconstitutional when Washington originally was founded, and the state already has a 100 percent property tax, not much else can be done without seeing further cuts to health care, safety and education.

 

I suppose they could cut their own paychecks and that of government workers, but that would be ridiculous. Washington voters would not want the government to lose money.

 

Of course the state could always amend the state constitution to allow for an income tax; however the amendment process would make even Tim Eyman edgy.

 

The sales tax therefore exists as the best option in a list of a whole bunch of bad ones.