It was the quiet before the storm last Saturday, when Issaquah-area lawmakers visited townhalls to hear from constituents before entering several weeks of budget-making madness.
The state’s next budget forecast is scheduled to be released Thursday. Typically, politicians hold out on proposing program cuts until after the bad news is certain.
At Issaquah City Hall, locals gathered to ask questions and share concerns – chief among them billions in expected budget cuts.
“The people are the government. If we don’t show up to share our concerns, we have no right to criticize,” said Mary Jo Kahler, who also spoke at the event.
Rep. Glenn Anderson, R-North Bend, echoed the importance of coming out to meet politicians.
“Swearing at the TV set is not a solution,” he said.
The majority of the Issaquah group, about 100 people, had grey hair, and mostly women spoke.
Sen. Cheryl Pflug, R-Maple Valley, and Rep. Jay Rodne, R-Snoqualmie, planned to attend the Issaquah event, but didn’t health and family reasons, leaving the event a one-man show.
Kathy Schroeder of Sammamish is concerned politicians will keep kicking the proverbial can of debt down the road with accounting tricks, she said. “Let’s address this like adults.”
She praised Anderson for not trying to raise taxes, and half the room erupted in support.
Meanwhile, another person complained that there wasn’t more support for the state income tax.
Issaquah’s Margo Campbell attended the Feb. 12 event out of concern for labor unions in Washington, after Wisconsin removed some collective bargaining rights for state employees.
“Is Washington going to be the next Wisconsin?” she asked.
Anderson calmed her fears, saying it wasn’t going to be a problem in this state or a part of budget discussions, she said.
He gave the room an update on the local economy, a drop in income levels by 20 percent and an inflation in food prices by 40 percent, he said. “It’s not a pretty picture.”
It’s the fourth straight year the state is expecting to have a large deficit. This biennium it’s $5 billion.
Now the legislature has to decide between an all-cuts budget or a budget that prioritizes different programs.
“We will all live with the consequences of less,” Anderson said.
