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News & ArtsMonday, January 9, 2012
Economy Washington's State Budget Deficit: Now, with Pictures!
Posted by Cienna Madrid on Mon, Jan 9, 2012 at 2:22 PM
Are you sick of words, words, words always junking up your computer screen? Do you consider yourself more of a "pie person" than a "numbers person"? Are you ready for a simple, easy-to-digest breakdown of the Washington State budget crisis?
If you answered yes to any of the above questions, then I have a deal for you!
The Economic Opportunity Institute, a local nonprofit think tank, has released a helpful, four-page breakdown (Shamwow!pdf) of Washington's 2011-13 General Fund budget, featuring graphic depictions of what services our tax revenues fund (and which have taken the greatest hits), why Washington won't dig out of its deficit without an income tax, and more:
- I know it's not a pie, but still.
- Courtesy of the EOI
Given that legislators failed to balance the state budget during last fall's special session, and given that that today is the first day of the regular legislative session, this is definitely worth your attention (Shamwow!pdf).
1
Note the key words in the first "in sales SUBJECT TO sales tax".
In other words, the ever growing tax exemptions for Billionaires and Corporations that don't pay taxes keep getting bigger.
There's no gas tax on farm fuel, either.
In other words, the ever growing tax exemptions for Billionaires and Corporations that don't pay taxes keep getting bigger.
There's no gas tax on farm fuel, either.
3
Ok, here's where the lies kick in:
The supposed source for these charts is the WA Economic and Revenue Forecast Council.
Searching there, under "personal income" I find this document:
http://www.erfc.wa.gov/publications/docu…
Looking at the chart for Per Capital income, Chapter 3, page 54, especially after 2007...where it actually went down, there are a lot of provisos about how "income" includes "earnings".
So, we're seeing a lot of 1%-ers getting vast gains, while the average worker, was still getting around $40,000.
This again, points to an Asset Tax, such as HB2100, as being the most fair way to asset all taxes.
Sales taxes under these conditions (as well as income taxes) are horribly unfair!
(By the way...nice attempt to pull a fast one, SLOG.)
The supposed source for these charts is the WA Economic and Revenue Forecast Council.
Searching there, under "personal income" I find this document:
http://www.erfc.wa.gov/publications/docu…
Looking at the chart for Per Capital income, Chapter 3, page 54, especially after 2007...where it actually went down, there are a lot of provisos about how "income" includes "earnings".
So, we're seeing a lot of 1%-ers getting vast gains, while the average worker, was still getting around $40,000.
This again, points to an Asset Tax, such as HB2100, as being the most fair way to asset all taxes.
Sales taxes under these conditions (as well as income taxes) are horribly unfair!
(By the way...nice attempt to pull a fast one, SLOG.)
4
@2 income growth for the top 5th of the population has been even faster while everyone else was pushed under the bus.
We're not talking median income, but total income, so if you have 10 CEOs all making a killing while everyone else suffers, and you don't count retirees, it's possible.
We're not talking median income, but total income, so if you have 10 CEOs all making a killing while everyone else suffers, and you don't count retirees, it's possible.
5
#4
Well I think that is my point...but showing a chart with a gap between income in total (representing to top earners) and sales tax (on the lowest earners) as a plea to raise that sales tax is at best disingenuous and at worse bordering on criminal kleptomania...which is something one could accuse Gregoire of.
Well I think that is my point...but showing a chart with a gap between income in total (representing to top earners) and sales tax (on the lowest earners) as a plea to raise that sales tax is at best disingenuous and at worse bordering on criminal kleptomania...which is something one could accuse Gregoire of.
6
@5: really? criminal kleptomania? because she raised... umm... no... she increased... no, that's not it.
she didn't do anything but cut the size of state government in response to revenue shortfalls. she's been the ideal moderate republican governor.
she didn't do anything but cut the size of state government in response to revenue shortfalls. she's been the ideal moderate republican governor.
7
@4 and @5 agreed, but on the expenditure side, the growth in spending over the 2000's was totally unsustainable, growing from about $25 billion in 01-03 to $42 billion by 09-11
8
#7
On that I agree as well...the expenditure growth was way off scale with the growth in population (only 13% during the decade, but expenditures rose 50%).
Please tell me why a state that was relatively well managed, and provided superior service for the dollar in the 1990s, went off kilter and bankrupted itself in the 00s while spending much more money per person?!
9
@6, I agree, she's been a surprisingly good republican, especially since she is a democrat.
@8, the weird thing is, what are we spending more money on? Not education, which the legislature has been in violation of the state constitution by the lack of funding. Not in job creation, all we seem to do is lay people off. Not in infrastructure, we would have a few more jobs if we worked to get highways and bridges and roads safer around the state.
@5, I agree wholeheartedly, the top 1% would like an income tax, they already are very adept at avoiding income taxes!
@8, the weird thing is, what are we spending more money on? Not education, which the legislature has been in violation of the state constitution by the lack of funding. Not in job creation, all we seem to do is lay people off. Not in infrastructure, we would have a few more jobs if we worked to get highways and bridges and roads safer around the state.
@5, I agree wholeheartedly, the top 1% would like an income tax, they already are very adept at avoiding income taxes!
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