The Audacity of Denial
Posted by: John Barnes | 08/26/2008 9:03 PM
When Governor Gregoire and challenger Dino Rossi offered to answer video questions on YouTube, the Evergreen Freedom Foundation's Amber Gunn decided to ask about the state's $2.7 billion spending deficit:
In response, Governor Gregoire gave one of the worst non-answer answers I've ever heard:
Gregoire's denial must come as a shock to the non-partisan staff of the Senate Ways and Means Committee, who have said there is in fact a huge shortfall for the next budget. But all things considered, it's easy to see why denial is the governor's approach. If she admits there's a deficit, she has to admit that the 31% increase in state spending during her term had something to do with it.
Eying the Obama signs behind the governor, I'm reminded of the nagging questions: how does the theme of change fit with re-electing Gregoire? What would change if she's governor for 4 more years?
For starters, the tax rates.
It may be ill advised, but it is apparently not "fraudulent" and certainly not election fraud. Forbes has...
Looking forward to Amber's response on this one. The Queen is a fraud!
I think Amber is more qualified and intelligent than Gregoire. The EFF knows how to grow 'em!
Um, that's a 33% increase, the last I heard. Kudos to Amber!
31% is the increase from the 05-07 base budget to the 07-09. 33% is accurate if you include the Gregoire's 2005 supplemental, which is part of the 03-05 budget.
Both figures are true, it just depends on how you look at it.
Regardless, we're looking at a 30+% increase in state spending, and that huge amount is what's driving the deficit.