Candidates for State Representative Pos 1, Question 3 Budget Shortfall

The Representative Position No 1 seat is open, because the incumbent gave it up to run for a different office. Below are the responses from the three 32nd District candidates to our third question: 3. What should the legislature do about the projected budget shortfall? Would your solution include increased property, sales, car tab taxes, or possibly an income tax?

Art Coday

The key to effectively correcting the projected budget shortfall is to eliminate wasteful spending without compromising any core government functions. I'm confident this can be done without increasing existing tax rates or imposing any new taxes. To illustrate my point, I met a woman in my district who works for the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS). In an unsolicited comment, she said her department is extremely wasteful. She works in an office with only four other employees; DSHS pays approximately $500,000 annually to rent the office. Working with our outstanding state employees, like this woman, I have no doubt that the state legislature can eliminate enough of this type of wasteful spending to eliminate the budget shortfall with no tax increase and no compromise of service. This is important because Washingtonians do not want critical services reduced but they want tax relief during this economic recession.

Cindy Ryu

Our budget shortfall is only a symptom of the larger economic crisis. Closing the deficit at the expense of economic recovery will only bring back larger deficits. That is why I support a balanced, common sense budget approach that emphasizes putting Washington State citizens back to work, and helping our local businesses thrive once again. I support measures that allow the State to stop relying so much on the sales, property, and B and O taxes that unfairly impact the poor, the elderly, and small businesses respectively.

Doris Fujioka McConnell

As a small business owner for over 25 years, I have learned the importance of saving into a rainy day fund. In addition to that, I have had to personally streamline spending and cut waste as a single mother.  Just like households during these economically difficult times, the legislature must continue to look to cut waste, while increasing efficiencies in spending. In a recession, it is increasingly difficult to look for new sources of revenue and we must give our citizens the choice whenever possible in how and if they want to tax themselves.