While the focus in the nation's capitol continues to be on all the proposed tax giveaways to the already rich and powerful, out here in the hinterlands things remain bleak. In the State of Washington, our legislature just concluded a special one day session to apply further cuts to an already diced up state budget. When the legislature reconvenes next month for their regular session, it has been reported that the next budget must see cuts in the neighborhood of 6.
Not $6 million. Not $60 million. Not $600 million. No, the number is $6 BILLION. That represents a very significant amount of loose change.
Various groups are now preparing for Lobby Days. A "Lobby Day" is when people who are invested in or care about a certain sector of the budget descend on Olympia for meetings with state officials and elected representatives, massive letter writing campaigns and star-studded rallies in front of the state capitol building. Regardless of the sector each group represents, the message is the same: DON'T CUT OUR PORTION OF THE BUDGET!!!
Unfortunately, when $6 billion needs to be cut, every budget sector will feel the blade of the budget knife. There's no way around it. Education and health/social services make up a significant portion of the budget as it is, so there is no way these sectors can escape. Police, fire and prisons too will see big gouges. More state parks will be shuttered. Fewer roads and bridges will be repaired. It won't be a pretty sight, not by a long shot.
Washington, of course, is not alone. Almost every state government is in the same straits. It extends to counties, cities, towns, school boards and even fire districts. All of the governmental entities who provide the basic and needed services that every man, woman and child in this country depends on will have to be pared back and, in some cases, completely eliminated. It is going to be ugly and very painful.
This is yet another reason the proposed extension of the various tax cuts for the egregiously rich are so galling. President Obama has chastised folks for being too pure in their thinking. He says this is the best deal we can get, but the meager tidbits that were thrown in to sustain the middle class and poor are a cruel joke. Yes, we will get to keep a little more from our meager paychecks, yet the services we depend on will be eviscerated in the process.
For one or two tiny steps forward, we will end up twenty steps backwards. In my book, that's not a very good plan at all!
Not $6 million. Not $60 million. Not $600 million. No, the number is $6 BILLION. That represents a very significant amount of loose change.
Various groups are now preparing for Lobby Days. A "Lobby Day" is when people who are invested in or care about a certain sector of the budget descend on Olympia for meetings with state officials and elected representatives, massive letter writing campaigns and star-studded rallies in front of the state capitol building. Regardless of the sector each group represents, the message is the same: DON'T CUT OUR PORTION OF THE BUDGET!!!
Unfortunately, when $6 billion needs to be cut, every budget sector will feel the blade of the budget knife. There's no way around it. Education and health/social services make up a significant portion of the budget as it is, so there is no way these sectors can escape. Police, fire and prisons too will see big gouges. More state parks will be shuttered. Fewer roads and bridges will be repaired. It won't be a pretty sight, not by a long shot.
Washington, of course, is not alone. Almost every state government is in the same straits. It extends to counties, cities, towns, school boards and even fire districts. All of the governmental entities who provide the basic and needed services that every man, woman and child in this country depends on will have to be pared back and, in some cases, completely eliminated. It is going to be ugly and very painful.
This is yet another reason the proposed extension of the various tax cuts for the egregiously rich are so galling. President Obama has chastised folks for being too pure in their thinking. He says this is the best deal we can get, but the meager tidbits that were thrown in to sustain the middle class and poor are a cruel joke. Yes, we will get to keep a little more from our meager paychecks, yet the services we depend on will be eviscerated in the process.
For one or two tiny steps forward, we will end up twenty steps backwards. In my book, that's not a very good plan at all!
With the states hurting like they are, it makes me wonder... I mean, how long can this go on before they start to protest? Is another civil war possible?
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