I will never get it. Never.
Each year, Republicans from Central Washington say they are going to watch our pocketbooks. The legislature (according to them) is fleecing us.
Then, they start fleecing us.
It’s not that I think the projects they are supporting are unworthy. It’s simply that the rhetoric coming out of their mouths doesn’t match the actions they are taking while they are in Olympia.
On top of that, they come home and brag about how much tax money they spent!
Here’s an article from Pat Muir in the Yakima Herald with a lot of bragging:
First, we get this paragraph:
The Legislature passed a $35 billion no-new-taxes budget that cut spending by $4 billion. Those cuts were not deep enough for local lawmakers, all of whom voted against the budget.
Then, the bragging about tax money spent starts…
The all-Republican delegation from the Yakima Valley succeeded, however, in keeping the state-run Yakima Valley School open for at least another year. The facility, which provides inpatient and respite care for the severely disabled, is home to 87 residents and employs 275 people. ($17.7 million)
And then…
In his first session, Johnson made good on a campaign pledge to work both sides of the political aisle, getting the necessary Democratic support to approve $800,000 for Yakima’s Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences.
Initially, Johnson pushed for it with a bill that would have authorized funding — House Bill 1901, one of only two bills Johnson introduced this year. But the bill failed to get even a hearing from the House Finance Committee despite a bipartisan group of more than 20 co-sponsors. So Johnson went to Rep. Kelli Linville, D-Bellingham, who as chairwoman of the Ways and Means Committee was able to secure the funding as part of the House budget proposal. ($800k)
And then…
Prior to the session, Hinkle listed improvements to Interstate 90 between eastern and western Washington as his top priority for the year.
Well, there is now about $55 million set aside for that, including the $2.5 million resurfacing project that began late last month near Ellensburg. ($55 million)
And then…
…he (David Taylor, R-15)did learn a little bit about how to think as a legislator. He points to a vote to dig a deep-bore tunnel that would divert traffic from Seattle’s Alaska Way Viaduct. Initially, he couldn’t see himself supporting the $2.4 billion project. But he ended up voting for it after hearing from constituents in agriculture who explained how important such transportation projects are to the industry.($2.4 billion)
It reminds me of that old saying from the Pogo cartoon…”We have the met the enemy and he is us”