Sen. Schoesler statement on mid-year state revenue forecast

June 19, 2009

OLYMPIA…Sen. Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, who serves on the Senate Ways and Means Committee, issued this statement regarding the state’s second revenue forecast of 2009, adopted Thursday at the Capitol: 

“Whether or not this forecast results in additional, noticeable cuts to services and programs, I’ll say it again: it didn’t have to be this way. There were a lot of things the Legislature could have done right off the bat this year to reduce the cost of state government and prepare for continued drops in the revenue projection. The governor’s budget proposal from December would have done more to improve the state’s financial position than what the Legislature came up with, but it would have hurt too many of Olympia’s ‘sacred cows.’ 

“Our side of the aisle has done everything possible to prevent this. We raised the alarm about overspending during the 2008 session when it was obvious a shortfall was on the way. After the credit crisis made things worse we urged the majority party to act quickly once this year’s session began, to save more money. And we warned that the artificially high level of spending in this new budget, based on a whole lot of ‘one-time’ money, would cause trouble. Less than two months later it is. 

“Waiting until the next-to-last day of the session to pass a budget may have helped those who were campaigning for tax increases. However, that delay and the extra slashing it required doesn’t give the governor many options now for saving money.  This budget already is balanced on the backs of our students and their families and by billions in federal bailout money. Where would she cut?  

“It won’t surprise me if those who failed to get tax increases this year use this latest forecast as an argument for their position – in fact, the ‘state income tax is inevitable’ drum is being beaten again. All we need to do is look at California to see how well that’s working. I think it’s more likely we will see a taxpayer revolt in this state first.” 

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Additional contact: Eric Campbell
at (360) 786-7503 or campbell.eric@leg.wa.gov