The Oct. 10 article, “Gregoire, former governors oppose I-933” missed reporting two very important points.
The first is that the state Office of Management and Budget’s cost estimate of more than $8 billion over the next six years represents the amount of money that changes to state land use and environmental rules actually did cost and could cost Washington property owners. This is money they could make under current rules that they will not be able to make in the future because of state rules changes. I doubt that this estimate even takes into account the lost tax revenues to the state that these rule changes will cause.
The second point is that by saying that the $8 billion is more than the state can afford, Gov. Gregoire and her compatriots are admitting that the state adopts rules and regulations without regard for their financial impact on the public and with no intent on the part of state government to pay for their financial impact on the public. That seems to be a pretty arrogant admission.
The governor says that she might agree to changes to these procedures in the future and will work with the Legislature to resolve the issue.
The voters have an opportunity to change these procedures right now and not wait for action that may never come from the governor and the Legislature by voting for I-933.
Rod R. Mourant
Freeland
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
