Despite the state’s worsening economic news, legislators must stay focused on passage of a plan to alleviate transportation problems.
Failure to act would not just worsen the state’s economic troubles. It would also have potentially disastrous implications for Washington’s ability to make a strong recovery.
Even on a day when he had to impose a state hiring freeze, Gov. Gary Locke argued forcefully for a transportation package. Visiting Everett on Tuesday, the governor also made strong arguments that the Legislature should enact a gas tax hike by itself, without putting the matter up to a vote of the people.
Legislators have always done that job.
Locke is frank about having changed his mind on a public vote, a fact that may well cost him politically over the long run. He says that his mind was changed in part by Boeing’s decision to move its headquarters to Chicago and Microsoft’s increasing difficulties recruiting workers. Then there is the overriding fact that Boeing’s decision on where to build the Sonic Cruiser is absolutely critical to the region’s future.
Boeing — and other businesses — won’t invest in a region where people can’t get from here to there. They see the same things as laidoff worker Lavonna Kurtzenasker, who recently told The Herald’s Bryan Corliss that she’s thinking about moving to California rather than considering jobs in King County, where she would have to face the nightmare commute from Snohomish County.
As we look for ways out of this recession, there’s every reason for legislators — who have their jobs — to do their jobs and enact a transportation package.
As Gov. Locke notes, a gas tax would likely be subjected to an initiative vote in November. That’s part of Washington’s system. But the system also relies on everyone doing their jobs, including legislators.
The issue should weigh most heavily on House Democrats. Democratic leaders in the House argued endlessly last fall that giving them majority control would end gridlock. Having received a majority, the Democrats ought to have the integrity to take a floor vote on a gas tax package that doesn’t require a public vote. If that loses, they can then approve a package which does require a public vote.
The one thing that legislators cannot do is to allow the public vote discussion — or any other issue — to block transportation action. Whether or not lawmakers decide to submit a gas tax hike to the public, the Legislature must get the job done on transportation. In this bad economy, a transportation solution is more necessary than ever.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
