In a rather bland Youtube video clip (inserted at the end of this post) the Spokesman Editorial Review Board chats it up with Governor Gregoire and Spokane Senator Lisa Brown. Voters of all stripes will be glad to know that in the August 2007 meeting, Gregoire makes the audacious statement that voters just need to be indoctr....uhm, I mean "educated" on the merits of a state income tax. They briefly discuss the woes of the widely detested Business & Occupation (B&O) tax and how it unfairly burdens small businesses and then shrug their shoulders about solutions to fixing it.

After all, in 2005 Governor Gregoire showed her stunning leadership prowess when she asked the Association of Washington Business (AWB) to "come up with a restructure" to reform the B&O tax. Since THEY couldn't agree on one, she concludes there's nothing that can be done. So inspiring.

It's an exercise in anguish watching the two of them wrestle with why we voters are so resistant to something as beautiful as a state income tax.  It's crystal clear to me that the Governor considers as her first responsibility bending our will to hers, into accepting the burden of her spending habits.

Gregoire's version of executive leadership is to expand government spending to such an outrageous degree that voters are forced to fund more and more of her unasked for, unmerited programs and projects.

Never mind that out of the 33% increase in state spending, we see nothing of substance from the government that will address our state's transportation woes, easily the most pressing issue facing our economic infrastructure.

Oh that's right, democrats care about children and education first. Except that the Governor's increased spending has nothing to do with, perhaps, the second most pressing issue,  K-12 education funding. The current funding system was deemed unconstitutional by our state Supreme Court and is the subject of a lawsuit leveled by several school districts against the Governor.

Speaking of children, shall I mention the harrowing number of children injured and killed while being warehoused in the state foster care system that has seen no disciplinary or major personnel action under the Governor's tenure? Perhaps a state income tax will be used to cover the millions in lawsuit payouts from the state to grown children who lived for years under state funded abuse or to foster parents who lost children that the state returned to abusive parents in spite of their pleas.

So, with her huge expansion of government (her 2007-'09 budget increased the government by over 4000 state employees) how does the governor expect to pay for these new votes, I mean state employees?

Ha! The trick is on us! She won't pay a penny, WE WILL! While it is true that she converted a nearly $2 billion budget surplus into a $2.5 billion deficit, do not assume that this is just typical liberal fiscal insanity. They have a plan, folks. And this video clip tipped me off.

The Governor and Senator Lisa Brown are tag teaming in what can only be called a "one-two" punch. They both do a great job explaining how "the electorate" is just not ready to support an income tax, and of course they say this with incredulity. Gregoire, in a thoroughly bewildered tone, mentions that despite Booth Gardner's best attempts as well as several others who tried valiantly to float the idea, we silly citizens just continue to reject the notion.

An interesting side note to this, is the lawsuit that Senator Brown has waged against the citizens of our state and the popular support of I-960, an initiative which requires that all tax increases receive a two thirds majority vote from the legislature. In 1995, the voters passed a similar initiative (I-601) but legislators have chipped away at it's power over the years, hence the need for voters to re-establish this restraint through I-960.

So, while Senator Brown chips away at the will of the voters from the legislature, the Governor starts forcing the need for more taxes by spending money we don't have. Together they are giving us the ole sucker punch. As we are gasping for air, trying to pay our increasing property, sales, gas and sin taxes, they continue to look bewildered by our dim-witted resistance to an income tax.

I'm a betting woman. I bet that gregoire has already written her inaugural address for 2009 and in it she will propose, no, I take that back, she will IMPOSE upon our state, an income tax. This will be her gift to us, just like she did in 2005, with the 9.5 cent gas tax.

I am betting that she won't get her chance. Dino Rossi.....save us!!!