The Democrats in Olympia have a commanding majority, but Republicans don’t have to fear. There’s a bigger check on those “tax and spend” liberals than the GOP could ever provide: The $6-10 billion budget hole.
Although, I guess wild-eyed liberals could turn the budget crisis on its head and do away with marijuana laws—which would empty the prisons and save billions! Flaming libs like Reps. Dave Upthegrove (D-33), Sharon Nelson (D-34), and Capitol Hill’s Jamie Pedersen (D-43) are already on that.
Seriously though, the Democrats gleefully announced a plan today to cut $105 million by slashing government offices by 4.4 percent, freezing salaries for state employees, extending a hiring freeze, and putting the kibosh on state equipment purchases over $1000 (there goes that copier, not to mention that new snow plow).
They also boasted about cutting over 100 boards and commissions and task force study groups (that last item, getting rid of task forces, will surely undo much of what the legislature “accomplished” last year).
“It’s too early to say how much we’ll save with this idea, but it will surely make state government leaner,” said Sen. Craig Pridemore (D-49, Vancouver), who’s proposing the task force and commissions cutback.
