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A balance of ideas is vital
in Olympia
By Jaime Herrera for
The Daily News
As one of the
newest state lawmakers from Southwest Washington, I’m an outsider to
“politics as usual” in Olympia. I don’t see that as a negative though.
On the contrary, my fresh perspective and desire to collaborate with
anyone on solutions is a benefit for the people I represent. I worked
with my Southwest Washington colleagues on ideas that would bring
efficiency and effectiveness to state government this year and, despite
some progress, there is still a lot to do.
I have learned
that “change” is the most overused word on the campaign trail and,
ironically, the most feared word in Olympia. At a time when our state
desperately needed change, majority leadership opted for the status quo.
Rather than say “yes” to new solutions, they sent Washington residents a
resounding “no” message.
With a historic
budget shortfall of $9 billion, there was an opportunity to change the
way state government does business. In this spirit, I worked with the
House health care committee to advocate solutions for a better
Washington — ideas that would strengthen our state’s health care safety
nets, introduce cost-effective health insurance options for
middle-income families and small employers, and pave the way for a 21st
century health care system. All this could be done without raising your
taxes. However, majority leadership decided against these new solutions
and denied relief to families and employers in desperate economic times.
The outcome of
this “no” mentality was a short-sighted budget that relies heavily on
one-time federal dollars. It also raids funds that were designated for
specific purposes, and borrows against our children’s future, by taking
$777 million from the capital budget. This is money lost for
job-creating infrastructure improvements around the state, such as new
school construction. Yet many state employees are still on schedule to
get a five percent step increase in their pay.
This budgeting
approach represents broken promises and big future price tags. It’s
simply a deficit deferral. We can do better.
I support a
proposal to bring sustainability and transparency to our budget by:
setting a state spending limit; requiring that only gimmick-free budgets
be passed; putting more money aside in good economic times; and giving
the public and state lawmakers more time to review budgets. This
proposal was not taken seriously by majority leadership.
Our state
government does not have a revenue problem; it has a spending problem.
Until we control state spending, restructure state government and focus
on the priorities of education, public safety, transportation, and
protection of our most vulnerable, we can expect our serious budget
problems to continue.
There were
success stories this year. A disaster for working families was averted
when the minority party unanimously opposed an increase in the state
sales tax and a new state income tax. If even a few Republicans had
consented, it could have given the majority party the support necessary
to demand more from families who are making less.
Our children
would have paid the price if House Republicans had not fought against a
bill that would have taken $60 million in funding away from poor and
rural school districts. It would have cost Southwest Washington students
alone more than $7 million. The minority party stood unanimously and so
strongly for our schools on the last day of the legislative session that
even a few Democrats joined our effort to protect our disadvantaged
schools and the bill’s sponsors were forced to abandon the measure.
It’s clear that,
more than ever, a balance of ideas is vital in Olympia. I will continue
to work with anyone who wants to put forth solutions for our great
state.
State Rep.
Jaime Herrera, R-Ridgefield, represents the 18th District and is
assistant floor leader for the House Republicans.
# # #
For more information, contact:
John
Handy, Assistant Director: (360) 786-5758
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