What’s wrong with the solution?

As I read Mr. Davis’ column regarding the State Family Medical Leave Act, (“Time to scrap paid family leave fantasy.”)

I thought he had a point. An unfunded program that kept getting kicked down the road should be taken off the books. That said, when he said that Sen. Keiser had an alternative, a funding model that works that will allow the program to work, his whole argument fell apart.

Keiser’s bill takes $1 per paycheck from each worker and each employer, and puts it into an account as insurance against the time when you or a loved one gets sick and you need that time off to take care of them. Yes, there are federal laws guaranteeing you the time off, but this bill would provide each worker with income during that time off.

Mr. Davis’ entire objection was that the program was unfunded and that the state had no method to pay for it in the future. Sen. Keiser seems to have neatly dealt with that problem for him.

Even Mr. Davis said the program was a good idea, so now that there is a funding model, I don’t understand why he still wants to scrap the program.

Jono Hanks

Everett