Past problems can’t be blamed on Dems

Published 9:00 pm Saturday, September 25, 2004

Paul Blowers blames the state of our education and transportation systems on 20 years of Democratic rule (“Rossi will undo 20 years of damage,” Sept. 19, Letters). As I’ve worked in the road construction business for eight years, I know our transportation system is a mess because we refuse to spend the money to fix it. Mr. Blowers thinks we can build our way out of uncontrolled growth. He should take a trip to California and see this is not possible.

We had Referendum 51 which would have earmarked a 9 cents per gallon gas tax to road building, yet taxpayers like Mr. Blowers rejected that. With oil producers tagging us with nearly $1 per gallon price increase since, we wouldn’t have even noticed it. Building extra lanes of freeway in the Puget Sound area is tremendously expensive. Wetlands, streams, rivers, lakes, hills, etc., make road building formidable. The Department of Transportation has to comply with environmental rules.

Conversely, building mass transit is much cheaper per person moved. Getting trains full of commuters off the highways will open them to those who have no choice but to drive. It’s time to move into the new millennium and accept alternate transportation modes.

As far as education, Gov. Gary Locke proposed a 1.5 percent sales tax increase as the way to pay for the education wish list that was put on hold to balance the budget. Nothing comes for free. Certainly bureaucracies have innate waste, but cutting the fat won’t go far when it comes to the many needs our state has.

Our problems are due to lack of funding, not wasteful spending. If Mr. Rossi thinks he can get things done with no tax increase, he’s misleading the voters. Christine Gregoire will prioritize needs with income and work to better our state.

Steve Morse

Snohomish