Governor Gregoire:
Let me begin by noting that I was an active supporter of your campaign here in Washington. I donated to your campaign and was there at Olympic View Elementary helping with the door to door effort when you came. I shook your hand and later celebrated your victory speech at the Westin with others from the 46th LD.
I know that the state is in a dire economic crisis. Still, your proposed 'all cuts' budget, now winding its way through the legislature, fills me with my sadness, anger, and despair.
Thousands of people will lose their jobs due to these budget cuts, making the revenue situation even worse than it already is. People I know and care about are at risk.
Where is the political will to do the right thing and raise revenue in this state?
I am copying here part of an email I sent to Senator Jacobsen on this issue. Please consider these options:
The reason why an income tax will currently fail in this state is because the middle and working class will see it as a tax added on to their existing burden.
As you know, Washington State has one of the most regressive tax structures in the nation. The goal of any added tax should be to raise revenue on those at the top of the economic ladder, making the structure more progressive.
There are a number of methods that can be used to this end:
- An 'intangibles' tax which is like a tax on non-land based property. A good discussion of this can be found here: link. The property tax is an 18th Century relic meant to fund an agrarian monarchy. Land is only a small percentage of wealth in any industrialized nation. I should note that this method was recently discussed at the King County Democratic Legislative Action Committee and most of us were highly supportive.
- Luxury sales taxes. Possible targets: car sales over fifty thousand dollars; home sales over one million dollars; luxury box tickets at athletic stadiums; recreational vehicles including boats which serve not as a primary residence; expensive jewelry; art over one thousand dollars in value; luxury electronics and appliances over three thousand dollars in value; ; expensive home renovations on homes already worth one million dollars or more; and so on and so forth. Items bought elsewhere brought into the state will be taxed upon entry for current residents. Cheaters will be caught when they make insurance claims on items where they did not pay the tax.
This is a statewide crisis and we cannot balance the budget on the backs of the schoolchildren, the sick and elderly, and the poor.
Thank you for your time,
tecampbell
(fixed link)
Update:
If I could make Governor Gregoire read a single article it would be this one, by Joel Connelly: Will budget leave elderly and disabled out in cold?
Updatex2: Action links---
Contact Governor Gregoire
Contact Your Legislator
Tell off the Times
Updatex3: Just for the Halibut, my letter to the Seattle Times:
Ayn Rand is dead,
and so are the libertarian ideas she espoused. Yet, here those ideas are, recycled like zombies in a daily paper in 'Progressive' Seattle, WA.
The free marketeers have cut the meat to 'the bone', yet now they blame 'the bone' for not growing meat? Thieves have robbed this economy for all it is worth. Yet, we are to stand idly by while their mouthpieces (i.e., The Seattle Times) ask for more flesh in cuts to essential services in order to protect the thieves they serve.
This state better start raising revenue and fast. Washington has one of the most regressive revenue systems in the country. Those with means have taken advantage of this system to the point that it can no longer support itself.
It is time for the wealthy of this state to show they have value. Contribute, or go down the drain with the rest of us.