Gregoire Lies

"For weeks, all we've heard about from Gregoire and the Democrats who control Olympia is the state government's $2.6 billion deficit. It started at $1 billion, went to $1.8 billion, and currently sits at $2.6 billion. The hysterical press conferences and screaming press releases are meant to create a crisis mentality where 'emergency measures' are necessary. In the tug of war over taxes, the establishment is pulling the rope really, really hard for higher taxes, especially a state income tax.

"But not mentioned is the simple fact that just before Gregoire took over in 2005, the state budget was $23 billion. This year in 2009, Gregoire signed a $30 billion budget into law.

"The state's government is bigger than it's ever been. There is no deficit -- it's all a lie.

"But that's not stopping Gregoire and the Democrats from pushing hard for massive tax hikes to continue their business-as-usual, unsustainable spending.

"An editorial this week by the Walla Walla Union-Bulletin newspaper said it well: Gregoire's call for deep cuts in state programs is merely politics ... The governor called for deep, painful cuts in the hope it would spur lawmakers to embrace higher taxes. Gregoire’s budget isn’t really a budget, it’s a political ploy. ... The governor’s seemingly draconian budget shouldn’t be taken seriously. It was slapped together for only one reason — to build support for tax hikes.

-- Tim Eyman