The Zarelli budget: a bombshell in state politics
The dollar amounts are rather small, but the sudden victory of the GOP Senate budget puts a lot of explosive issues on the table, and may be a turning point in the governor's race.
Washington Legislature
The last few days have brought good political news to the struggling campaign for governor being waged by Congressman Jay Inslee. He got out of one box by resigning his Congressional seat, to be "all in" for the governor's race. That's a needed signal to supporters that Inslee is about to take the race more seriously, including getting smart enough about state issues to be a fair match for Attorney General Rob McKenna, the Republican candidate known for his detailed mastery of state issues and their politics.
Inslee also had the good luck of putting McKenna in a box, for which the Democrat should thank Sen. Joe Zarelli, the perpetrator of the Republican budget that passed the Senate with the help of three Democratic defectors. The result of this surprise surfacing of one Republican approach to governance was to put McKenna in a bind. If he endorsed it, gladdening conservative Republicans, he'd be attacked as a skinflint on education. But neither could he trash it.
Shrewdly if timidly, McKenna retreated to neutral. His spokesman Randy Pepple hastened to put McKenna above the partisan battle, advising both parties to negotiate, saying he was not the one writing the budget, and that McKenna "would just be advocating for what he would do as future governor," not what he would do to demonstrate leadership of his party at this ticklish moment. Pepple denied that McKenna had anything to do with the compromise budget, or that he was initially supportive of it.
Inslee was quick to pounce:
"Last Friday, Senate Republicans in Olympia snuck a budget through at the 11th hour that does exactly what they've been swearing up and down they would never do: They slashed education! If my opponent, Rob McKenna, and the rest of the Olympia Republicans want to put us in a race against the likes of Mississippi and Wisconsin, this budget is the way to do it. We cannot afford the millions of dollars they want to cut from schools and colleges. That's why I'm challenging McKenna — who has tried to make education funding the centerpiece of his campaign, despite some dubious claims about how he'll fund it — to stand by his promises and join me in rejecting the Republican budget."
McKenna declined the invitation to repudiate (or endorse) the GOP budget, shifting the attack to the entire Legislature:
"Olympia is broken. That is the only explanation for the Legislature’s failure to complete its most basic duty. Legislators have been in session 211 days since December 10, 2010 — over 46 percent of the time — and yet they have not finished their work. It’s time to end the blame game and partisan finger-pointing. We can do better. Legislators should work together to craft a compromise budget using, as starting points for negotiations, the adopted bipartisan Senate budget and House Democratic budget — the only two proposals that gained the support of a majority in either chamber. This collaborative effort should fund public education first on the way to creating a balanced, sustainable budget. The state can’t afford further delays or endless gridlock.”
Thus the key framing debate of this close governor's race came into awkardly premature clarity. McKenna wants to run as a pro-education suburban moderate, saying he'll both reform education and flow more dollars to schools and colleges. The Democrats have been saying that the anti-tax Republicans are bamboozling the public with such claims, and now they have exhibit A, the Zarelli budget, which cuts funding. Democrats will say that McKenna has no funding to honor his promise. Republicans will say Inslee, bowing to union wishes, has no reform components and therefore won't get any new money from dubious taxpayers.
From McKenna's point of view, the Zarelli shocker gives way too much ammunition to the other side. Should the impasse go on for weeks, highlighting more of the grinchy aspects of the GOP budget, McKenna will be even more on the defensive. Moreover, the University of Washington, which would take a complex cut that might be 3 percent or $12 million of state funding, is furious over this last-minute surprise. Meanwhile, McKenna has been claiming he can get increased state funding of the UW, his alma mater,
At the heart of this political problem is an old split in the state GOP, particularly in Olympia. Zarelli is the kind of rural conservative lawmaker who is suspicious of spending in general, while being particularly skeptical about education funding and the University of Washington. McKenna, along with a few GOP moderates who are clawing back to power, come from the pre-1994, suburban-based party that put education first, was willing to fund it, and hoped to find the money by scaling back spending on social services that the Democrats stoutly defend.
Naturally, McKenna would be better off if he could paper over this split until after his election.
Inslee too has a split to paper over, that between union Democrats who defend the teachers' unions' resistance to reform and the reform Democrats who want to couple testing-based reform with new funding. But Inslee's dilemma is not on the front pages of the newspapers, and it's likely the teachers will cut him a bit of tactical slack if needed at the end of the campaign.
Zarelli is on the hot seat for another reason. In holding his Senate GOP caucus together and in wooing the three crossover Democrats to pass his budget, Zarelli reportedly insisted that his budget didn't cut education spending. Not exactly true, it turns out, and that may make it hard to hold the Zarelli coalition together or for Zarelli to retain his leadership post.
A few details on this debate. Zarelli's way of cutting funding to the UW was not to reduce direct state spending but rather to cut money for tuition waivers. His argument was that the UW could accept fewer needy students, thereby gaining more in tuition dollars, and jack up non-state tuition a bit more without losing students or dollars. The UW balked, in part because an important part of the university's defense of steep tuition hikes is more money for scholarships.
But keep in mind that the original Gregoire budget cut the UW by 16 percent and the earlier House budget would have cut it by 2-3.5 percent. Also, the K-12 cuts are largely on the margin, stripping out dozens of small state programs from the Office of Public Instruction to help curb drop-outs or to augment computer education, for instance.
Curiously, most of the debate has been over the 25th month sleight-of-hand in the Senate Democratic budget, which pushes $330 million of K-12 obligations in the coming biennium just a few hours into the next one. Making this shift permanent would mean that the savings would not have to be repaid.But that step hasn't been taken yet, and the financial maneuver looks bad to the average voter, as well as to the bond rating agencies already wary of our state's inability to raise revenues to support its spending.
The Democratic budget is not pretty (though Zarelli's budget has its own artful dodging of pension liabilities), but it was a compromise that enabled the Legislature to avoid further cuts to education, as agreed among their leaders and many business interests, without having to slash social-service spending. Gregoire had tried to wriggle out of this problem by proposing a temporary sales tax increase for the voters, but that quickly died (an indication of how little clout the governor retains). The result was the 25th month ploy. That was too much for the Republicans, maybe in part because they had already had to swallow the legalization of gay marriage and needed to show some rhetorical push-back to help in their own 2012 election.
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Comments:
Posted Mon, Mar 12, 5:36 a.m. Inappropriate
Inslee would be four more years of Gregoire. You simply cannot bring yourself to admit it, can you Mr. Brewster? Jay Inslee has never publicly disagreed with Gregoire or the Democrat controlled Legislature's policies. He either totally agrees with them, or he didn't know what they were doing.
Where in your article to ascribe the baggage of the proven Democrat record of failure in Washington State to Inslee as you attempt to link Zarelli and McKenna?
Posted Mon, Mar 12, 5:40 a.m. Inappropriate
"McKenna, along with a few GOP moderates who are clawing back to power, come from the pre-1994, suburban-based party that put education first, was willing to fund it, and hoped to find the money by scaling back spending on social services that the Democrats stoutly defend."
--
This is the purest BS, David, and you knew it when you wrote it. McKenna is the captive of the right wing, the Tea Partiers, the flat-earthers, the Camerons of this world, and the out-of-state billionaires who fund them. He cannot win without their support, and if -- heaven forbid -- he is elected, he will owe them, and will do their bidding.
The party of Dan Evans is dead and gone, and it isn't coming back, despite your fervent attempts to resurrect it, as if by sheer force of will. McKenna is practicing the same starve-the-beast voodoo economics as Scott Walker in Wisconsin, John Kasich in Ohio, the felon Rick Scott in Florida, Chris Christie in New Jersey, Rick Snyder in Michigan, and the other anti-education, anti-environment, anti-labor, anti-civil-rights Republicans. If you think they are "moderates," then I have an oceanfront lot in Kansas to sell you.
McKenna is a fraud and a charlatan. He has been a very astute politician to date, and he has fooled a lot of people into thinking he is something that he is not -- some kind of "moderate" -- but I hope that the voters will catch wise, see him for what he is, and reject his candidacy utterly.
Posted Mon, Mar 12, 6:09 a.m. Inappropriate
Inslee is the captive of the current do nothing Democrat majority in this State and has been for over three decades, no leadership, a born follwer with no problem solving skills whatsoever. A dedicated, card carrying member of the Democrat Central Committee, Mr. Ivan is very concerned their gravy train is finally coming to an end. People of Washington State are starting to realize just how out of touch with reality the Democrats are in this state.
Posted Mon, Mar 12, 6:13 a.m. Inappropriate
The choice is simple: You either like the Democratic Party/Indian Tribe/Public Employee Union cartel and want to maintain the status quo or you don't.
Posted Mon, Mar 12, 7:59 a.m. Inappropriate
The big problem for McKenna in all of this is that it is a repeating reminder that he's really just another run of the mill Republican, who are also part of the problem in Olympia and its inability to get its work done.
He can no longer claim Democrats have had complete control.
Posted Mon, Mar 12, 8:38 a.m. Inappropriate
I am sick and tired of this party wrangling.
Representatives of the people here are your marching orders.
1. You work and are paid by me and the other taxpayers.
2. You will do your jobs as representives of the people
3. You will hold your duty to the people as supreme to any party politics. To make it plain forget about the party.
4. Your prime concern is the overall good of the overall state population
5. Your secondary concern is the good of the area you represent.
Now then
GET TO WORK
GET THE JOB DONE
Dan Bentler
Posted Mon, Mar 12, 9:17 a.m. Inappropriate
6. You shall apply all laws, equally; irrespective of race.
Posted Mon, Mar 12, 9:33 a.m. Inappropriate
Leitmotif's comments probably express the feelings of a vast majority of voters in the state. They want the budget job done and are paying little attention to the to-and-fro between the parties and gubernatorial candidates. Whichever of those candidates seems most knowledgeable and businesslike about state-level issues is likely to emerge the November winner.
Posted Mon, Mar 12, 9:35 a.m. Inappropriate
Given your criteria Mr. Van Dyk, Jay Inslee will not be our next Governor.
Posted Mon, Mar 12, 10:06 a.m. Inappropriate
Since McKenna is not pro choice, and women tend to be the swing votes in WA. If Inslee puts him in that corner, which should be pretty easy given the Republican base, then that's it. You can count the Inslee votes from the top of the space needle and a flyover of Spokane.
Rob's last big mistake was taking on the Obama Health care issue. Had he let other Republican states sue and waited on the sidelines he might have slipped by. But he's shown his hand and it's a losing one in WA.
Posted Mon, Mar 12, 10:28 a.m. Inappropriate
Jay Inslee finds himself behind in the polls because he is the hand picked successor to the Gregoire Governorship. KOD.
Posted Mon, Mar 12, 11:08 a.m. Inappropriate
Rob McKenna is a very fortunate man because he does not face a serious Republican challenger in the primary, which has been the Waterloo of those who ascribe to the label “moderate” only to find themselves driven to the right by Grover Norquist and the Tea Party. Both candidates carry an empty bucket to support K-12 and Higher Education because neither has a funding mechanism. Refilling the higher-ed jar that has been emptied by the Legislature in recent sessions while also fulfilling the voters’ mandate and Supreme Court rulings in regard to K-12 cannot be done without either an increase in the regressive sales tax, introduction of a progressive income tax or a massive attack on the tax loopholes that have been skillfully driven through the state budget by an army of lobbyists. If either candidate has chosen which cup of poison to drink, it’s missed my attention.
Posted Mon, Mar 12, 1:11 p.m. Inappropriate
Gary P: Inslee isn't doing himself any favors by having fundraisers hosted by Elliot(#9)Spitzer and by the former San Francisco mayor who had an affair with his campaign manager's wife. Women will note that as well!
As for McKenna, he's pro-choice as stated in his 2008 campaign for AG. He wouldn't be the first candidate or elected official to hold a personal standard different from what public law allows.
Posted Mon, Mar 12, 1:35 p.m. Inappropriate
Shrewd but timid is what Rob the Boy Scout does best. But is it enough? He should have no problem with Zarelli's proposal that the UW balance its budget by reducing tuition support to the poor. That's standard Republican fare: the proper role of government is to provide services to the rich.
Here's the long-range GOP game plan: Funding to education is cut, the population gets progressively more ignorant and confused, thus generating ever greater Republican electoral majorities. Early indications are that this approach is already beginning to succeed.
Posted Mon, Mar 12, 1:48 p.m. Inappropriate
Here's the long-range Democratic Party game plan: Funding to education (which grows Public Union jobs and, therefore, Democratic Party campaign contributions) is increased, the population gets progressively more ignorant, dependent and indoctrinated, thus generating ever greater Democratic Party electoral majorities. Early indications are that this approach is already beginning to succeed/fail.
Posted Mon, Mar 12, 2:24 p.m. Inappropriate
Woofer's partisan screed earned an editor's pick. Makes me wonder whether David was up all night writing his excellent article so needs another cuppa.
Posted Mon, Mar 12, 7:54 p.m. Inappropriate
Floyd writes: "Rob McKenna is a very fortunate man because he does not face a serious Republican challenger in the primary". Inslee isn't facing any competition in the primary either, nobody in the Washington State Democrat party wants anything but four more years of Gregoire.
Posted Mon, Mar 12, 11:13 p.m. Inappropriate
His argument was that the UW could accept fewer needy students,...Inslee would be four more years of Gregoire.
...Inslee is the captive of the current do nothing Democrat majority in this State and has been for over three decades,
Johnny One-Note. Cameron, find a new routine.
McKenna did out himself with this ridiculous healthcare lawsuit. Now signing off on taking more away from the social safety net and schools? He's done. As for putting off a bill for a day? Big deal. People with honest paychecks (not the dividend checks cashed by crankyoldlady) figure out innovative ways to balance their little budgets every month. I guess no one on this blog knows about the tax code which codifies this sort of thing. And the rightwingers think they're so damn smart with money.
Posted Tue, Mar 13, 7:11 a.m. Inappropriate
Talk about one note, check out the "defenders of the faith" Democrats in this State. Sure things rare bad, but if you even consider doing anything differently it would be worse...is that about it?
" People with honest paychecks (not the dividend checks cashed by crankyoldlady) figure out innovative ways to balance their little budgets every month." Really? So the millions of retiree's living off of their investments (you know evil dividends) that they have earned and paid taxes on, need to pay more. Thanks northender, spoken like someone on the dole.
"And the rightwingers think they're so damn smart with money." Why don't you write back when the curent Majority Democrats in charge of the State Budget, don't have a budget with deficits as far as the eye can see and a candidate for Governor who has no clue how to address the issue or move forward with any reforms.
Posted Tue, Mar 13, 1:13 p.m. Inappropriate
The difference between what the Republican budget spends on K-12 education vs. the Democratic budget in the House amounts to less than one-HALF of one percent. So I have to disagree with my friend David Brewster that this amounts to a "bombshell".
The education issue in 2012 is not funding. It is reform. Reform that demands more accountability for performance in the classroom, and less protection for mediocrity. And more choices for parents stuck in neighborhoods with substandard schools. THAT is how you separate politicians who think schools' first priority should be children, not adults.
Posted Tue, Mar 13, 4:06 p.m. Inappropriate
Deficits don't matter. Don't you know that, Cameron?
John Carlson, another "expert" on education. Stick to talk radio, John.
Posted Tue, Mar 13, 4:46 p.m. Inappropriate
Is this John Zarelli? Wealthy, motivated by greed, are more likely to cheat, study finds
Posted Tue, Mar 13, 4:47 p.m. Inappropriate
http://articles.latimes.com/2012/feb/27/science/la-sci-0228-greed-20120228
Link to above study.
Posted Tue, Mar 13, 6:31 p.m. Inappropriate
Deficits are not allowed under the Washington State Constitution Bloody. Perhap you are confusing the State and Federal Governments.
Posted Tue, Mar 13, 8:13 p.m. Inappropriate
Deficits don't matter, Cameron. Keep messaging bloodycrossing. Deficits don't matter. Doesn't matter if they're allowed or not. Deficits don't matter. Ask Cheney. He's one of yours.
Posted Tue, Mar 13, 8:48 p.m. Inappropriate
Carlson does highlight an issue but frames it as a conflict. I would argue that funding is reform and vice versa. These are not opposed, except in the partisan world of politics and elections. The evidence is overwhelming that smaller classes produce better results, but that's exactly what the R's are opposing (see, http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120306131150.htm). Secondly, the solution "for parents stuck in neighborhoods with substandard schools" isn't choice, but to fix the neighborhoods and the schools that are there.
Posted Wed, Mar 14, 5:19 a.m. Inappropriate
"Is this John Zarelli? Wealthy, motivated by greed, are more likely to cheat, study finds"
I dunno. How much is Aaron Reardon worth?
Posted Wed, Mar 14, 6:20 a.m. Inappropriate
Northender/Arthur king or whatever you are posting under today, can you address the issue? Are deficits allowed under the Washington State Constitution? No. Is your defense of the current Democrat majority in Olympia really based entirely upon asking "Cheney" about deficits at the Federal level? Apparently. It's not a suprise that supporters of the current regime in Olympia want to deflect, denie and blame others. That's how they have operated for years. Ignoring the State Constitution when it fits the agenda is what defines this Administration and Legislature.
Posted Sun, Mar 18, 4:32 p.m. Inappropriate
Both parties are shooting themselves in the foot. Watch the rise of Independent candidates here in the Northeast. It's the wave of the future.
Posted Tue, Mar 20, 4:31 p.m. Inappropriate
You go on and on, Mr Brewster, as if the behavior of the Republican party is a complicated matter. Simply look at the platform of the national Republican party. What is it based on?
Racism
Misogyny
Homophobia
Bigotry
Theocracy
Transferring wealth from the poor to the rich
And guns: A Republican state representative showed up to a committee meeting on Tuesday, and, while there, accidentally dropped his gun. But fret not, he had a second one strapped in a shoulder holster. In fact, he regularly wears two guns to legislative meetings.
McKenna may try to run from this platform, but no one forced him to be a member of the GOP.
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