Last week Rich Elfers’ column “Careful with those promises” was timely not only as a personal point but as a political one, too.
Democrat Gov. Inslee would do well to read the column and take it to heart. Two years ago in the Olympia Journal Inslee emphatically stated he was “sticking to his guns” that “new taxes won’t fix Washington’s budget woes.” Oops – is that one of those broken promises to which Elfers referred? The governor continued declaring school funding would be increased by generating more state revenue through economic growth without raising taxes.
Furthermore, his campaign plan supposedly called for “reforms in business and occupation taxes, plus tax breaks for fledgling companies…and cutting some regulations.” In the governor’s mind evidently the imposition of a heavy-handed carbon tax and increased regulations on businesses still meets the litmus test of his promises, how so?. (Rob McKenna proved prophetic when he repeatedly warned us that Democrat Inslee would raise the taxes.)
With the present fuel prices lower, the state gas tax is still at 55 cents a gallon/diesel at 61 cents – eighth highest in the nation. More people will travel to see relatives for the holidays and throughout the year so Washington will make more fuel dollars to fix the crumbling infrastructure; unless it is siphoned off for pet government projects.
Also, how much money has California eco-billionaire Tom Steyer funneled into the governor’s green agenda? Perhaps their goal is to make Washington equal to California…spare us! As well, why is Inslee reluctant to have his carbon plan voted on by the Legislature? Instead he wants to pull an executive order like his mentor Obama.
Elfers’ column concluded that “broken promises cause any person in authority…to lose credibility…” and “…once credibility is lost, it’s very difficult to regain.” Leave us not forget that former President George H. W. Bush’s infamous “No new taxes” pledge resulted in one term and pass it forward to Gov. Inslee before he can decimate Washington businesses.
Work for term limits!
George Terhaar
Enumclaw
