Usually when the Legislature is in session, I enjoy making fun of the time they waste on trivial matters. I haven’t this session so maybe this week I will look at the governor.
Back in January, our governor thought a 10 cents gas tax was a great idea. I suspect he still does because he loves taxes and despite the high gas tax here and elsewhere, they say the fuel-efficient cars (the government demanded) mean less gas tax revenue. He’s just now figuring this out? And here I thought the whole point was to use less gas.
He ran for governor saying he thought we could live with the taxes we have. Since winning, which seems to be the defining moment these guys change their minds, (or lose them) that seems like all he wants to do.
He uses fine words to describe raising taxes, like loopholes, revenue or investments. They sound better, but mean the same thing.
One area he wants to “invest” in is education. To be fair, the state Supreme Court, whose primary function is to know and understand education, has ruled the state is not meeting its constitutional obligations on education. We must spend more. What I don’t understand is why the wise ones didn’t just tell them how much more and where to spend it? If they are so darn smart, they must know exactly what it costs to provide a constitutional education.
I think a good education is a fine idea, but I wonder why the only solution on the table is to spend more money and do the same thing we’ve always done. No real innovation, no real choice for parents; just send your child to school, and if you spend enough (as if we already don’t) that somehow translates into better education.
It’s just not true. Private schools cost less and statistically do a pretty good job, maybe a better job. Why can’t a parent take the money they pay in taxes to schools and choose where to spend it? Private, charter or a public education?
But that would be choice, real change, and competition, and we just can’t have that.
Then he decided a moratorium on the death penalty is in order.
Maybe he’s right. But this isn’t a monarchy and it seems to me a healthy discussion with our elected representatives would be in order. Perhaps some discussion with the victim’s families might have occurred, letting them know what he was contemplating?
Though Gov. Jay Inslee previously supported the death penalty, (probably to get elected) he said in the press conference “My responsibilities as governor have led me to re-evaluate that position.”
At least he’s consistent. He was for the death penalty, then became governor and now he’s against it. He was not going to raise taxes, and gets elected, and then does raise them
In the end, he concluded the death penalty was inconsistent and blah, blah, blah, so instead of looking case by case, or engaging the other branches of government in the discussion, he just decided on his own no case will qualify, no matter what the facts are.
I wonder if he has a pen and phone too?
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Well, it’s pretty clear the season for campaigns is upon us and it looks like some new faces will be in the courthouse next year. There will be a new sheriff, new auditor, new treasurer, new commissioner and could be other new officials as well.
It’s still early and there could be other candidates although since they moved the primary up, and went to all mail-in ballots, time grows short.
Good time to ask them questions, pin them down, and then if they get elected, see if they actually do what they say. Those are the rare ones.
They are also the ones we desperately need.
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John McCroskey was Lewis County sheriff from 1995 to 2005. He lives outside Chehalis, and can be contacted at musingsonthemiddlefork@yahoo.com.
