Posted: Thursday, December 3, 2009
OLYMPIA, WA - Washington Governor Chris Gregoire, a Democrat, ran for re-election last year on a no-new-taxes platform. But with the state facing another $2.6 billion shortfall she now says taxes will have to be raised. Gregoire says she can’t in good conscience rebalance the current two-year budget with cuts alone.
Gregoire: “We’re at a point now we’re there’s no doubt in my mind, I can’t live with that budget. I can’t cut hospice care, I can’t cut maternity services, I can’t cut all state need grants. I can’t do that. That’s not my values, I don’t believe it’s the values of the people of the state of Washington.”
Gregoire made her comments on TVW’s “Inside Olympia” program hosted by public radio’s Austin Jenkins. Gregoire says closing a $2.6 billion gap will require a combination of taxes and cuts. Among the proposals that she says are on the table: closing tax loopholes and extending the sales tax to professional services. Gregoire is also looking at the wholesale elimination of entire programs like the Basic Health Plan. (Austin Jenkins)
Copyright 2009 Northwest News Network