The Death Knell For Transparent Government

The Chicago-style backroom deals that have been done over the healthcare bill, and have become the hallmark of the Obama adminstration, are enough to make you lose permanent faith in honest and transparent government. Meanwhile, here at home, taking its cue from the "leadership" being shown on this issue in other Washington, the Democrat-controlled State Legislature blatantly introduced in your face legislation to undo the will of the people — Senate Bill 6843 — which negates Initiative 960.

I-960 forced our legislators to reveal how much new legislation would actually cost the taxpayers. Last year, under I-960, we learned that some proposed bills were shown to cost billions. The bottom line is, while some of that legislation sounded really nice, we didn’t have billions to spend. Once the actual cost was attached to a bill as required by I-960, it often — and rightly — failed. If Senate Bill 6843 becomes law, that kind of transparency will be gone forever.

I-960 also required a two-thirds vote in the Legislature — or a simple majority vote of the Legislature along with a vote of the people — to increase taxes. In other words, we demanded the legislature live within our means! Through blatantly arrogant political maneuvering, legislators are now trying to ram this bill down our throats without allowing we taxpayers to even read the bill, or comment on it.

The legislature's absolute arrogance in flaunting our will is appalling beyond belief.

Supporters of the bill whine and carp about how Tim Eyman has done our state irreparable financial harm. However, in my view at least, if the legislature cared about what the taxpayers actually think or want, Eyman wouldn't be a factor in their lives. The bottom line is, if SB 6843 bill passes, you can bet there will be a continuing series of large tax increases for all of us, while giving the legislature the ability to spend without restraint or oversight, as our state continues down the road to permanent insolvency.

Finally, just remember, the entire state legislature is up for re-election in November.