By Chris Hurst

State Representative, 31st District

The Legislature was called into Special Session in December just as the gathering storm clouds of bad economic news seemed to be getting worse. Then, suddenly during the special session, we received great news. Boeing and the Aerospace Machinist Union settled a long-standing dispute and then the announcement that the next generation of Boeing aircraft, the Boeing 737 MAX, will be built here in Washington state.

This is great news for all of us and will be an important part in securing our state’s job and economic future. Both Boeing and the Machinist Union should be congratulated for this historic agreement. For every new job created at the Boeing Company, of which there will be many, at least five additional good-paying jobs are created in other private sector companies.

Although the long term news is good – and gives us a significant reason for being optimistic about our economic recovery – the Legislature was still faced with a $1.4 billion budget shortfall.

The number is often listed as $2 billion, but that assumes an extra $600 million ending fund balance. The actual shortfall is $1.4 billion.

The governor laid out a proposal for a supplemental budget that came under heavy criticism. But it’s important to note that the governor’s budget proposal is nothing more than that, a proposal. The Legislature writes the budget, not the governor. No amount of complaining can change that fact, nor the Legislature’s responsibility to craft a sustainable budget; that’s our job.

Other moderates in the Legislature and I got right to work on trying to find solutions and reforms that would get the state back on track and back in the black.

During the special session, the Legislature reduced that budget shortfall by $480 million, so more than a third of the work is already done when we come back in January. We also made investments to make sure that we will be turning out an educated work force that can fill the new aerospace jobs that are now on the horizon.

I’m pleased to see that this initial supplemental budget had strong bipartisan support. Since the special session ended, other moderates and I have been working hard on a list of proposals to reform mid- and upper-level state government agencies and operations.

Once we head back to the regular session on Jan. 9, legislators have two choices; they can either watch the process or roll up their sleeves and get to work. We’re still in the most difficult economic times since the Great Depression. This national and global economic meltdown was unprecedented. It’s a tough job, but moderates in the Legislature also see this as an extraordinary opportunity to reform and permanently alter the way we do business.  The package of reform legislation that we will be introducing in January will be very controversial. Many special interests across the political spectrum, who’ve come to see their processes and programs as entitlements, will not easily embrace a lot of the ideas that we will be suggesting.

While it’s time to significantly realign the structure of government, it’s also time for individual citizens to ask themselves hard questions about what our economy and society should look like.

If we continue buying products made in China to save a few dollars, we can’t expect there to be manufacturing jobs left here in the U.S. More and more, citizens are making an effort to buy products made by their fellow Americans, even if it costs a little bit more.

If you don’t like the behavior of your financial institution, it’s a free market and you can take your business wherever you like. I recently did a little research and found that my homeowners and auto insurance company, which was once based in Washington, had been purchased by a foreign corporation. I went to a local agent in Enumclaw and bought new policies from an insurance company headquartered here in Washington, and although I’m probably not supposed to say exactly which one, suffice to say that it’s really, really local.

My point is that although the great recession that began in 2008 was caused by irresponsible and reckless risks being taken by Wall Street investment firms, we as consumers have a lot more control over our financial destiny than it may seem on the surface. Where we choose to buy and how we choose to invest plays a large part in market dynamics and protecting American jobs.

Now more than ever, it’s important to shop local and buy local whenever possible. Even if it costs a couple dollars more, products made in America mean American manufacturing jobs. Without a manufacturing base there is no middle class.

Just as it’s time to reform and retool how government works, it’s also a good time to realize that as consumers, where we shop and who we do business with can significantly impact how businesses conduct themselves and provide more jobs in America and in our local communities.