This morning I posted info about a poll on voter rage over the legislature suspending an initiative (an Eyman initiative) that made it more difficult—well, impossible, really—to raise taxes in this state. Lots of folks in comments wondered how the poll was conducted, what questions were asked, etc. I tracked down the poll (a collaboration of the Northwest Health Foundation, the polling firm Davis, Hibbitts and Midghall, and public radio stations across the Northwest) that answers some of those questions, and I've posted the poll's summary here (.pdf). One thing people asked was how many of the 1,200 respondents from three states were from Washington: 400 people.

Looking at the findings, you'd think most of the people surveyed had been reading the Seattle Times' series of Teabag editorials, which, in essence, argue that we shouldn't raise taxes at all. Despite plummeting revenues. Despite choices between raising taxes and eliminating the state's Basic Health program. Despite the fact that the legislature only wants to fill less than one-quarter of the budget gap with taxes and the rest is budget cuts. I know folks are cutting back in tough times—and some businesses are cutting back—but government is not a business. Its "product" of education, infrastructure, public safety are constant demands. When revenue drops, you can only cut so much without creating bigger problems down the road. For instance, in Colorado, where voters capped taxes, voters repealed suspended that law after the state spiraled into hardship—reducing the quality of its education, infrastructure, and public safety.