Hell to the People
I really feel like an outsider. Maybe it’s just red state/blue state sort of thing. I feel foolish because I insist on believing that it’s OK that our government should raise taxes in order fix problems. Especially problems like bridges threatening to break apart, or even Seattle’s Ferries rusting towards decrepitude.
So when Chris Gregoire, our “straight talking” Democrat Governor strikes from her vocabulary, the phrase “raising taxes” – for just those types of things – even going so far to say that “the people have spoken loud and clear and they don’t want new taxes”, thereby “respecting the will of the people” I find this to be profoundly disheartening. This is of course the outcome of the failure of Proposition 1, our huge roads and transit Ballot proposition this past November.
What I actually heard the Governor say on the radio was that there was $2b available to pay for the 520 Bridge, which MUST be replaced at a cost of $4b, and that because “the tax payers have spoken” there will be no taxes, so it will need to be done with tolls. WTF?
So here’s what I am wondering: Am I really so unimaginative as to believe that there cannot be some “exciting and innovative” ways to raise revenue that would 1)fix our decaying infrastucture, 2)clean up our messes, 3)regulate our economy, 4)fight our oil-wars and.. (oh well it’s a long list.)? Because if I really am that unimaginative, and if it is actually true that the masses are in fact more visionary when it comes to these things, then I just want to find a way to deal with it. A way to stop my griping and just get on with my life.
If you have any ideas – please let me know.