After passing a two year budget that makes a lot of painful cuts to the budget, most of the work of the WA Legislative Session is done this year. However, Governor Gregoire may call them back into session to deal with some bills that couldn't be finished by this weekend's deadline.
State Lawmakers May Go Into Special Session
Also, here is a listing of some of the key bills, besides the budget, that did pass.
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My question is how it is possible to obtain a $9 billion budget shortfall...? According to Senator Joe Zarelli "This budget reflects a series of bad choices that stand to cost our state for years," and it seems to me that this is the only logical explanation. Now as the government is attempting to make up for their budget miscalculations they are adjusting the budget in the wrong categories, categories such as education. Cutting budgets for education is against article IX, section 1 of the Washington state constitution as it states, “It is the paramount duty of the state to make ample provision for the education of all children residing within its borders.” I see budget cuts in education as violation of our constitution because it is a fact that the more important something is, the more money , or larger budget it is given, and taking money away from education is like saying it is less important, making it no longer “the paramount duty”. Also the 30% increase in university tuition will undeniably make it difficult for many to obtain a higher education, so how is that a parallel message to that of article IX, section 1 of the Washington state constitution..? Lastly I wonder why the senate is wasting time worrying about changing our schooling system and requirements when they have so many other things to worry about.. they want to require full day of school for kindergartners, and six classes a day for middle schoolers and highschoolers, these changes will cost billions. Why are they looking for ways to waste money.. if their “intelligent” ideas are anything like the past this will be one big expensive disaster.
-Lyndsay Headley
It is tragic that the State Legislature not only failed to pass, but failed to vote on Senate Bill 6116, an excise tax measure that would raise money to renovate KeyArena. Many will argue that KeyArena was already renovated in the mid-1990s, and that there are other issues that should be of a much higher priority than sports stadiums. While I do agree that issues like poverty, education and health care should be prioritized higher than sports, the emptiness of KeyArena for the majority of the year leaves many businesses without customers and will leave a great area of town, Queen Anne, looking like a ghost town. Many businesses have already had to shutter their doors. The NBA's business model may be flawed, but it would be wise for the city of Seattle to adhere to it. Also, the excise tax extension would not impose new taxes on Seattle citizens, it would only effect tourists such as those that rent cars and use hotels in Seattle, a tax that is already in place, and this bill would only keep the bill in place for many more years.
I find it heartbreaking that the state legislature would deny it's citizens great entertainment in the form of Professional Basketball.
Dylan Jenkins
5th period
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