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Mark Hargrove (Op-Ed to Maple Valley Reporter) | April 17, 2012
Now that the fog has lifted from the three special sessions in November/December, March and April, and the regular legislative session that ran January 9 to March 8, I'd like to offer my thoughts on the final operating budget and government reforms passed this year.
On Feb. 17, House Republicans offered the first balanced budget solution during the 2012 regular session.
Our budget funded education first, in a separate budget, then prioritized services for the most vulnerable and public safety. We made tough decisions, but if we want to get our budget under control, programs we cannot afford today or tomorrow need to be reformed or eliminated.
On November 2nd, 2010, I was elected to represent the people of the 47th District in Olympia. On this website you will find information about me and my legislative priorities. However, I’m committed to not letting campaigning interfere with my responsibilities as a legislator. So I won’t be spending a lot of time updating this site. You may find more information and legislative contact information on my legislative website via http://houserepublicans.wa.gov/members.
The Problem: In 2008, long before the economic crisis hit, the state legislature had spent away the largest surplus in state history and had a projected $9 billion deficit. They were only able to reach a constitutionally mandated balanced 2009 budget by accepting billions in stimulus money, not funding pension accounts and playing shell games with other money. Any reasonable person can see that when 2010 came around, we could not maintain that level of spending with no more stimulus money coming, the debt we already owed to pension accounts and the $710 million that was cut from the education budget. And yet our budget in 2010 is greater than in 2009!
