Republicans are closer to winning control of the State House this year than any time since 2002. Thus, Democrats have a lot to lose in November – and taxpayers have a chance for big wins!
There are quite a few seats — in the House and Senate — that are vulnerable or up-for-grabs this year. So, we decided to make a list of three top competitive races this year.
- Democrat State Senator Mark Mullet (5th Legislative District):
GOP State Representative Chad Magendanz, quite popular in the district, is challenging Mullet in a district long considered the most Republican in King County. Mullet is one of the many Democrats who will have to justify why he voted against his own legislative district’s will when he joined his caucus in ensuring the death of the voter-approved 2/3rd two-thirds tax limitation initiative back in 2012.
A whopping 68% of voters in Mullet’s district voted for the initiative. Rather than support the people’s will, Mullet chose to protect his party’s bigger government/higher taxes agenda.
- Democrat State Representative Christine Kilduff (28th Legislative District):
Like Mullet, Kilduff will have to contend with the fact that she voted against the will of the people she represents when she opposed the 2/3rds majority rule (in her case, I-1366). Kilduff decided to push her party’s bigger government/higher taxes agenda — she’ll have to answer to voters for that.
But, Kilduff will also have to explain her opposition to voter-approved public charters schools. Kilduff said of the bill to save charter schools, “It sets up a separate and unequal system of schools.” Of course, her opposition to public charter schools probably has a lot to do with the money she gets from Washington Education Association (WEA).
Kilduff will face off against Republican Mike Winkler, a retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel, teacher and former school board member for the Steilacoom Historical School District. The race is expected to be “hard-fought.” Indeed, it may help decide which party controls the state House.
- Democrat John Lovick vs. Republican Janice Huxford (44th Legislative District):
Lovick — the former controversial Snohomish County Executive and a former state representative — will battle businesswoman Huxford for state representative, Position 1. Earlier this year, Democrat Hans Dunshee gave up the seat in favor of joining the Snohomish County Council.
Lovick does not have an illustrious record to run on in 2016. On his watch, Snohomish County wasted $12 million on plans for a courthouse that may never happen. Additionally, Lovick’s administration—like so many previous Democrat administrations in Snohomish County—was defined by scandal.
One of the biggest scandals that tainted Lovick’s administration occurred when he granted handsome pay hikes to 16 high-ranking staff members without the County Council’s approval. The total pay raises, including benefits, amount to nearly $150,000. One of those 16 high-ranking staff members to benefit from Lovick’s generosity with taxpayers’ dollars was former Deputy Executive Mark Ericks who, at the time, faced accusations of threatening to kill members of the county council.
Given his proven ability to waste taxpayer dollars, former state legislator Lovick would not find it difficult to fit right back in with Democrats in Olympia should voters make the mistake of voting for him rather than a reliable, experienced businesswoman.
Over all, Democrats are sitting in a tough position this year. A handful of Democrats in key, competitive legislative districts have either retired (like State Sen. Rosemary McAuliffe) or have moved on to different political careers (like Dunshee).
That leaves Republicans with opportunities to pick-up seats and, potentially, take control of the state House.
Any word on those suburban Republicans who oppose expanding Sound Transit in their traffic-choked districts? Explaining why taxpayers in Snohomish should fund a freeway in Spokane, but not mass transit which they themselves could use — that might be a very tough sell indeed.
It could even determine control of our legislature.
The last time i checked republicans have no power or say in WA. WA is a die hard socialist democratic state.
Reality opposes shoveling more money down the rathole that is UnSound Transit regardless of the district it’s in. The real tough sell is $50 Billion for light rail for the 3%ers that will do nothing to ease traffic congestion. Motorists in Snohomish and the rest of Washington fund freeways in Spokane because that’s how it works.
Reality opposes shoveling more money down the rathole that is UnSound Transit regardless of the district it’s in.
Republicans who represent districts in Sound Transit’s funding district should make that message heard loudly and often to their tax-paying constituents during their upcoming re-election campaigns. (Especially after voting to spend said taxpayers’ money on a pork freeway boondoggle at the other end of the state.)
Republucans and reality: perfect together. Please do everything you can to make it happen!
We rational motorists know when we pay the 3rd highest gas tax in the nation, every time we put fuel in our vehicles, we are paying for road maintenance and construction, be it in Spokane, Kettle Falls or Seattle. (that and the sales tax skim to fund Frank Chopp’s relative’s lifestyle) That’s why it’s a WA State gas tax, to pay for roads in Washington State. We also know if we live in the UnSound Transit Sponging District, we also pay for you freeloading 3%ers transportation choices every year when we renew our registrations. Without motorists paying for it, UnSound Transit couldn’t afford to operate. That’s reality, comrade, even if you can’t see it wearing your special rose-colored “liberal vision” glasses.
Yes! Tell the taxpayers in King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties how their tax dollars should pay for roads in Kettle Falls and Spokane, but should not pay for mass transit they can ride to work, even though they have repeatedly voted for Sound Transit. Tell them how lucky they are to have Republican representatives who know how to spend their tax money better than they do! Tell them how a vote for a suburban Republican is really a vote for pure pork politics in Spokane!
Tell it, brother! Tell it loud and proud! Preach it every day, in every suburban Puget Sound district, from now until November!
Are you saying if a freeway isn’t built in Spokane, using gas tax funds, there will be more money for UnSound Transit? How much more? Will UnSound Transit then ask for less than $50 Billion? How much less, $49.5 Billion? What color is the sky in your world?
“should not pay for mass transit they can ride to work”
We taxpayers on the Eastside have been paying and paying for you sponging 3%ers transportation for years and have virtually nothing to show for it. No “ride to work”. Even where it’s available, a paltry 0.8% of the population uses the big ticket item, light rail. When is the “ride to work” coming? What will we be on by then? ST8 or ST9?
“even though they have repeatedly voted for Sound Transit”
And UnSound Transit has repeatedly failed to deliver what they promised and has repeatedly came back with their hand out wanting more. That’s what you should preach every day, in every suburban Puget Sound district, from now until November. Tell that, comrade, tell it loud and proud.
Are you saying if a freeway isn’t built in Spokane, using gas tax funds,
No freeway will be built in Spokane, or anywhere else in our state, using gas tax funds. That source of revenue is too small and inconsistent to support a major capital project like a freeway. To pay for all of the government pork needed to purchase Sen. Baumgartner a safe seat, the state will have to issue bonds, and every taxpayer for decades will pay for those bonds. Of all the glorious subsidies tax payers provide to private motorists, the construction of new roads is the biggest socialistic transfer of wealth going at the state level.
Even where it’s available, a paltry 0.8% of the population uses the big ticket item, light rail.
As opposed to the incredibly robust 0.0% of Puget Sound taxpayers who will commute daily on the new Spokane freeway? Why do the Republicans believe that’s a better return on those taxpayers’ investment?
Again, the Republican message to Puget Sound taxpayers is clear: we know how to spend your money better than you do. (At least the first half is true…)
“No freeway will be built in Spokane, or anywhere else in our state, using gas tax funds. That source of revenue is too small and inconsistent to support a major capital project like a freeway”
Considering that every time we motorists go to the gas pump, we pay the 3rd highest gas tax in the country, when other states in the union do quite well funding freeway projects from a lower gas tax source, where does all that money go? I mean other than funding Frank Chopp’s relative’s lifestyle, into who’s pocket does that “too small and inconsistent” (3rd highest rate in the country) source of revenue go? Do you seriously think us owners of planet-killing SUVs who pay the 3rd highest gas tax in the country are “inconsistent” in our rabid thirst for petroleum products? You’re way off message. That’s a thought violation, comrade. Expect a reprogramming visit soon.
“To pay for all of the government pork needed to purchase Sen. Baumgartner a safe seat, the state will have to issue bonds”
Alas, the rational portion of the populace knows that issuing (selling) bonds is the government selling debt to VOLUNTARY investors who have accepted the terms of the agreement. Why do you freedom-hating, control-loving leftists oppose fellow citizens voluntarily buying government debt? Would you rather have it mandated or sold to Saudi Arabia and China?
Again, your message to Puget Sound taxpayers is clear: If you don’t want to fund a freeway in Spokane, stop buying fuel and sponge off those who do. But 100% of Puget Sound taxpayers have no voluntary choice at all in funding light rail for 0.8% Seattle-centric freeloaders. (At least both halves are true…)
…when other states in the union do quite well funding freeway projects from a lower gas tax source…
You wrote that *exactly* as if you had actual, documented examples of multiple large capital improvement projects financed via fuel taxes. But you don’t, so we simply laugh away your foolish attempt to claim actual knowledge of what you’re taking about.
I mean other than funding Frank Chopp’s relative’s lifestyle …
Ditto.
… into who’s pocket does that “too small and inconsistent” (3rd highest rate in the country) source of revenue go?
While you could have done your own research, instead of just lazily getting proven wrong, it’s good to see you admitting you don’t actually know what you’re talking about. Baby steps.
To answer your question, by law, every penny of the fuel tax goes towards roads. It just so happens our roads cost more — much, much more — than even the 3rd highest gas tax in the country can pay. The difference is your glorious socialistic motoring subsidy, comrade. (Well, one of your many.) See page 6 of this report, which has two easy-to-read pie charts. Even you can easily see that the fuel tax PLUS licensing fees is about half of the “Sources of Funds” pie, while all the various costs of roads in the “Uses of Funds” is about two-thirds of that pie. See your glorious socialistic motoring subsidy, comrade!
Alas, the rational portion of the populace knows that issuing (selling) bonds is the government selling debt to VOLUNTARY investors who have accepted the terms of the agreement.
I neither stated not implied otherwise, reading comprehension genius. I merely noted those bonds must be *issued* before they can be sold, and investors are guaranteed repayment by taxpayers.
Why do you freedom-hating, control-loving leftists oppose fellow citizens voluntarily buying government debt?
We don’t, financial genius. We oppose the creation of public debt for waste-filled pork boondoggles, and support it for worthwhile transportation projects. That’s why Sound Transit was created by the same voters who pay the taxes. (How about putting Sen. Baumgartner’s pet pork freeway up for a statewide vote? HAHAHAHAHA…..)
Again, your message to Puget Sound taxpayers is clear: If you don’t want to fund a freeway in Spokane, stop
buying fuelvoting Republican.Fixed that for you, comrade. You’re welcome!
“We oppose the creation of public debt for waste-filled pork boondoggles, and support it for worthwhile transportation projects”
Really? So $265 million of bond sales spread out statewide is bad but $54 billion in taxes in 3 counties to serve 0.8% of that population is worthwhile? You shouldn’t talk about waste-filled boondoggles too loudly.
While UnSound Transit is busy serving the freeloading 0.8% of the population of the Sponging District, the new freeway in Spokane gets goods from farm to market more efficiently, serving everybody in the state. Well maybe not everybody, only those that eat. If there is, as you claim, a “glorious motoring subsidy”, it’s you deadbeat 3%ers who are subsidized. Roads, overwhelming paid for by motorists, make your lifestyle possible. It’s how your food gets to you. It’s how virtually everything you buy gets to you. It’s where your gray buses operate. Modern society wouldn’t exist without roads, yet you and the rest of the transit leeches want to skip out on the contribution to the majority of the costs but enjoy 100% of the benefits. I can’t wait for your next lie: “I never go to the grocery store, I never buy anything that isn’t delivered by oxcart on a mud path”. It’ll be just as believable as your previous whoppers, “I never saw a single I-594 ad” and “the Tsarina had campaign signs? What did they say?”
Looking at the report with the easy-to-read pie charts, it also reveals some things you didn’t count on.
1) Look at page 3, 7th line in key assumptions, sources of funds. The key assumption is a $30 basic car tab fee. That’s all they’re counting because that’s the state’s cut. If you actually registered a motor vehicle in the Sponging District, you’d know that tabs cost a lot more than $30. Of my 3 vehicles, 1 is $72, the other 2 are $78 per year each. Where does the majority of my extra $138 go? Metro. To pay for your transportation choices. There’s no need for me to say You’re Welcome! because you freeloaders never say thanks, you just demand more and more. It’s the democratic socialist way.
2) On page 8 there’s an easy-to-read bar graph that shows the rate of return to counties. Note that 4 of the top 6 counties in low returns are the very counties that you continually whine about “taking welfare from the Puget Sound area”, while King, Pierce and Snohomish counties are just slightly under even, far from the 65% you claim. I guess you were wrong about that, too. Even Spokane County is underfunded at 84%. I thought you comrades wanted equality. Take some funds from the bourgeois liberals in San Juan County (182%)
3) Back to the easy-to-read pie charts, Use of Funds: Ferries cost $2.54 billion. Source of Funds: Ferry fares AND tolls AND other State revenue/fees brought in a mere 446 million. The biggest waste in WSDOT’s budget has been identified, by your source, and you’re totally silent on that, preferring to attack WSDOT for building a freeway in a Republican district like the partisan hack you are.
“We already held the elections”
Then why are you commenting on an article about the top state legislative races to watch? The elections are over, comrade. Perhaps now you can dial back on your blood pressure and psychotropic meds. Pay no attention to those voices you hear. Shush, now. It’s nappy time for you.
Really? So $265 million of bond sales spread out statewide is bad but $54 billion in taxes in 3 counties to serve 0.8% of that population is worthwhile?
In the second case, that exact question will go directly to voters whose taxes would pay for the project. How about we put the first case to a vote of taxpayers statewide? Which do you think has a better chance of passage, really?
Oh, and I’d actually pay money to be there when you suggest to Baumgartner that his precious Freeway (to a Lifetime On The Public’s Dime) be put to a vote. You might find his utter contempt for democracy exceeding even yours.
“How about we put the first case to a vote of taxpayers statewide?”
Just as soon as Seattle taxpayers get a city-wide vote on $15 maximum idiocy and everything else the Silly Clowncil rams through for their democratic socialist utopia.
Oh, and I’d actually pay money to be there when you suggest to Special Ed that his precious Freak flag crosswalks (to a Lifetime On The Public’s Dime) be put to a vote. You might find his utter contempt for democracy exceeding even yours.
Yeah, we’re going to have a city-wide vote on repainting a dozen cross-walks in one neighborhood. That would be a really good use of our time and tax money, for sure.
You really just don’t have even the slightest idea of how a democracy is actually supposed to work, do you?
…the new freeway in Spokane gets goods from farm to market more efficiently, serving everybody in the state. Well maybe not everybody, only those that eat.
The 2015 edition of our state’s traffic congestion report mentions Spokane:
Unlike some urban centers of the state, the Spokane region does not experience any regular severe congestion (average speeds slower than 36 mph).
So, you’re happy with us blowing over a quarter-billion dollars, plus interest, on ensuring those precious, precious haybales you eat never have to suffer the indignity of going as slowly as 35mph at rush hour. You advocate this knowing full well that every last one of those quarter-billion dollars –plus interest, for many years — tied up in this haybales-expediting project will be totally unavailable for fixing potholes on I-5.
(When we, your fellow tax-paying voters, reject yet another one of your brilliant ideas for spending our transportation dollars, just remember you can always blame “the liberal media.”)
Thank you for acknowledging and praising the fact that you sponging 3%ers enjoy 100% of the benefits roads bring to our modern society, while skipping out on paying for the vast majority of costs.
According to the report you cited, Spokane County is chronically underfunded to the tune of only getting back 84 cents for every dollar “contributed”. Way less than the big three Puget Sound counties, who come in at the high 90’s percentage-wise. When is it Spokane County’s turn to get some transportation funding? When they vote (D)?
“you’re happy with us blowing over a quarter-billion dollars…”, “will be totally unavailable for fixing potholes on I-5”
Do you want some funds to fix potholes on I-5?
According to the report you cited, The Washington State Ferries cost our state 2.54 BILLION to operate, while fare income AND all tolls AND “other state revenues and fees” generated only 446 million in revenue. I’ll translate that into crayon for you; Ferries returned somewhat less than a paltry 17.6 cents on the dollar for a total loss to the state of AT LEAST $2.08 BILLION. $2.08 Billion would completely fund the Spokane freeway and leave over 1.2 Billion for fixing potholes on I-5. Why aren’t you calling for the bourgeois liberals in San Juan County to pay their fair share?
That’s all they’re counting because that’s the state’s cut.
Um, yes, the report on how the Washington State Department of Transportation obtains money assumes, that as a state agency, it receives only those local tax proceeds collected for the state. Just because you’re totally gobsmacked by this wholly-unexpected revelation does not mean the rest of us hadn’t simply assumed it all along.
Where does the majority of my extra $138 go? Metro.
Or to the many local roads you use which WSDOT does not help to maintain. Since you provided no local budget figures, there’s no way to tell.
Since you freeloading transit users don’t register vehicles, you simply assume correctly that motorists are funding your transportation choices.
“Or to the many local roads you use which WSDOT does not help to maintain”
Or to the many local roads Metro and the trucks that make your lifestyle possible use which WSDOT and you leeches do not help to maintain.
Numbers, how do they work?
We’re still waiting for the ones which would support your claim about a “majority” of your local vehicle tab costs going to Metro.
You know, those numbers.
Roads, […] make your lifestyle possible.
I never said nor implied otherwise. I happen to think maintenance and upgrade of our existing road network is far, far more important than building a new road nobody needs. If you disagree with that statement, just say so.
If we had an infinite amount of resources, we could build everything we want. But we don’t, so the job of our legislature is to set proper spending priorities. By pushing Baumgartner’s pet pork freeway boondoggle ahead of real needs, they’re doing the exact opposite of what we’re paying them to do. (In our defense, we did actually vote to keep fools like Baumgartner safely in the minority, where he’d do less of exactly this kind of damage to our interests.)
“I happen to think maintenance and upgrade of our existing road network (that I’m unwilling to pay more than a tiny fraction of, while enjoying 100% of the benefits) is far, far more important than building a new road nobody needs”
I happen to think filling potholes is far, far more important than painting freak flag crosswalks that nobody needs just to stroke one gay ego. If you disagree with that statement, just say so.
“By pushing Baumgartner’s pet pork freeway boondoggle ahead of real needs”
Yeah, like spending $54 Billion on a boondoggle to transport 0.8% of the population. Your light rail boondoggle, which serves less people, comes in at 6143% more expensive. Numbers, how do they work?
I happen to think filling potholes is far, far more important than painting freak flag crosswalks…
If you’re actually seeing multicolored crosswalks as you drive down I-5, then the rest of us need care less about what you think as we need you to get your eyes examined before you go driving on public thoroughfares.
“If you’re actually seeing multicolored crosswalks as you drive down I-5”
Thankfully for taxpayers outside of Seattle, Special Ed can’t squander WSDOT funds to build monuments to stroke his ego, that’s all you Seattle chump’s money that’s being needlessly wasted.
You’re inability to get past WSDOT building a legislature-approved freeway, that motorists pay the majority of the cost of, in a chronically underfunded County that happens to vote Republican, while advocating spending 6143% more for a system using last-century technology that virtually nobody uses does nicely exhibit your hyper-partisan hack qualities at their finest, though. Please continue keeping those qualities front and center in the public’s mind as we head into the elections; it’s the best thing you can do for our state, really. But remember to pace yourself. You wouldn’t want the cold sweat stench of desperation to get too strong long before the election.
Thankfully for taxpayers outside of Seattle, Special Ed can’t squander WSDOT funds to build monuments to stroke his ego, that’s all you Seattle chump’s money that’s being needlessly wasted.
It’s up to us citizens of Seattle to decide if such a civic improvement constitutes “wasted” money. You can keep yelling about it if you like — it’s been a year now, and you show no signs of tiring — but if you’re going to call a group of voters “chumps”, it really should be all of the suburban residents of King, Pierce, and Snohomish Counties who voted for Sound Transit. They really deserve to receive the immense benefits of your political wisdom, delivered loudly and proudly, each and every day until the election. Tell them the Republicans sent you.
“It’s up to us citizens of Seattle to decide if such a civic improvement constitutes “wasted” money”
Please explain the decision making process in this case. Exactly when did you Seattle citizens collectively make that decision?
“Yeah, we’re going to have a city-wide vote on repainting a dozen cross-walks in one neighborhood. That would be a really good use of our time and tax money”
Did you citizens decide to do the “civic improvement” before it happened? I don’t remember any public vote, did you citizens of Seattle transmit your decisions to Special Ed with your spidey-senses and will him to jump into action? Or was it a bat-signal reflected off a cloud that said “stroke your ego”? Were there any objections to it costing 1100% more than standard gridlines? To a rational person, it appears that “us citizens of Seattle” weren’t really in on the decision at all.
“but if you’re going to call a group of voters “chumps”, it really should be all of the suburban residents of King, Pierce, and Snohomish Counties who voted for Sound Transit”
If you want to call all of the suburban residents of King, Pierce, and Snohomish Counties who voted for ST2 chumps, I certainly wouldn’t disagree with you. People with 2 brain cells to rub together voted NO on spending $17 Billion and getting maybe 2 bus routes in return. Now it’s $54 Billion, 315% more, and there will never, ever be a light rail station within 10 miles of many of us, we just pay the taxes so you sponging 3%ers don’t have to pay anywhere near the full cost of your transportation choices. The suburban residents of King, Pierce, and Snohomish Counties, who have been funding your transportation for years and getting virtually nothing in return, really deserve to hear your opinion of them, delivered loudly, proudly and ungratefully, each and every day until the election. Tell them the National (Democratic) Socialists sent you.
Do you seriously think us owners of planet-killing SUVs who pay the 3rd highest gas tax in the country are “inconsistent” in our rabid thirst for petroleum products? You’re way off message. That’s a thought violation, comrade. Expect a reprogramming visit soon.
My beliefs are based upon hard facts, not ideology. (You should try it sometime; maybe then you might not jump to such an erroneous conclusion so easily.) Those of us who have heard of a thing called the “Summer driving season” know that fuel demand varies from season to season, from year to year, and has some sensitivity to price. These changes make the fuel tax a very bad basis for road construction, which is why the state issues bonds to build new roads — bonds all taxpayers will retire in the long run.
(Your ability to stay on message is truly impressive, though. Shown pie charts which clearly state the amount of money spent on roads far exceeds the amounts raised through fuel taxes, licensing fees, and other user fees, you still just keep banging on and on and on and on about how you poor oppressed motorists pay for it all anyway. Once programmed, you stay that way.)
Motorists in Snohomish and the rest of Washington fund freeways in Spokane because that’s how it works.
While your total dedication to the socialistic principle of using big state government to redistribute wealth from wealthy urban liberals to poor rural conservatives inspires all of your comrades in your Party, like them, you continue to display a laughably miserable understanding of “how it works.”
Motorists do not build freeways, comrade — not in Spokane, and not anywhere else in our state. Rather, our state borrows the money from the bond market. As insurance against the loan, the capitalists in the bond market require collateral. Therefore, the state pledges *all* of the tax revenues, from *every* tax payer, over the long period until the bonds are paid. As a result, the only freeway which will be built in Spokane will be secured by all of us taxpayers — and 60% of taxes paid to Olympia come from King, Pierce, and Snohomish Counties. It is those taxpayers who make possible the freeway in Spokane Union upon which a robust and permanent 0.000% of them will commute daily. Please make loud and clear to them your Party’s unshakable belief this is a better use of their money than a mass-transit system some non-zero number of them will actually use. Shout it from the ramparts, comrade! Every day until the election!
(Now, anyone who did not want any new freeways to be built has a simple way to stop it from ever happening: require the construction bonds to be secured by just the fees and taxes paid by motorists. Those small and inconstant sources of funds would cause the capitalists in the bond market to set their interest rates so high, our state could never afford to buy those bonds. Luckily for you motorists, you don’t have to abide by a small-government, low-debt, pay-as-you-go lifestyle.)
Wow. Pavlov’s dog. Now go on about the deep, dark, MCC conspiracy.
“the only freeway which will be built in Spokane will be secured by all of us taxpayers”
Da, comrade. And the vast majority of all of us taxpayers are motorists who pay taxes and fees which contribute half of the cost of the roads to make modern society possible (and cover the $2.1 Billion shortfall from the Washington State Ferries) At the same time, us vast majority of motorists pay the same property/sales/local taxes as you transit leeches do, thereby subsidizing your sponging lifestyle. You want to enjoy 100% of the benefits of roads to modern life, while being unwilling to pay more than a tiny fraction of the costs. Motorists do indeed pay the majority for freeways and subsidize you freeloaders transportation choices.
And the vast majority of all of us taxpayers …
… are not enough to secure the borrow-and-spend policy upon which new road construction completely depends. The capitalists in the bond market say *all* of us must be on the hook for their loans, or we’ll have no loans from them. That’s just how capitalism works, comrade, and you’ll just have to get used to it — even if you’ll never like nor understand it.
contribute half of the cost of the roads…
So, you’re bragging about getting one dollar of taxpayer subsidy for each dollar you actually pay?
…to make modern society possible…
Like potable water and electricity do, which is why the City of Seattle ensures supplies of both to all of us residents, backed up by taxes on all of us citizens. Some things should not be left to the vagaries of the marketplace: water, electricity, roads. Hence all these are supplied and ensured by our government.
Vote hillary for 2016 to 2024
I thought her crimes carried a ten year sentence
No she will serve 8 years and the last 2 will br suspended.
You screw up you move up
You should really do your copy-and-paste specials on entire sentences, comrade context. I understand why you don’t, though. Your position would fall apart without the selective quotes.
The vast majority of us taxpayers are motorists who contribute half the cost of our roads through fuel taxes and license fees alone. The vast majority of the other half comes from motorists who pay their taxes. You transit leeches want others to pay for the lions share of the roads without which your lifestyle wouldn’t be possible.
The $2.1 Billion shortfall of ferry system has already been added to the subsidies paid by motorists to you transit freeloaders, $1.05 Billion of it comes right out of fuel taxes and license fees. We could afford lots of new roads if we didn’t have to subsidize bourgeois San Juan County liberals transportation and lifestyle choices to the tune of 83 cents on the dollar.
C’mon now, Pavlov’s dog. Let’s hear about the deep, dark Senate MCC conspiracy that only you seem to know about.
The $2.1 Billion shortfall of ferry system has already been added to the subsidies paid by motorists to you transit freeloaders,
The ferry system is operated by WSDOT (hence the WSDOT symbol painted on each ferry), carries many privately-owned motor vehicles, and is part of the highway system per Washington state’s constitution. Please do continue to flaunt your ignorant rejection of our state’s constitution at every opportunity.
Coming from someone who likes to call others “Reading comprehension genius” this is priceless.
I’m well aware of the Ferries being owned and operated by WSDOT and by law considered part of the state highway system. According to the report you cited, I’m also aware that motorists directly contributed, via fuel taxes and license fees, 50% of the Ferry system’s total operating and capital budget. Even those motorists who never get within 10 miles of a ferry pay the same taxes and fees. Meanwhile, the actual users of the system contributed somewhat less than 17% through fares, seeing as how the ferry fare revenue was combined with toll revenue (paid by motorists) and “other State revenue and fees”. Rattle that around in your empty mind: For every dollar the State earns from ferry fares, motorists directly contribute at least 3 dollars. There’s your glorious motoring subsidy, comrade. It flows from producing motorists to you transit parasites who should enjoy your heavily subsidized transportation choices and shut up about where our elected representatives authorize road improvements.
Please do continue to flaunt your ignorant rejection of reality at every opportunity.
I’m well aware of the Ferries being owned and operated by WSDOT and by law considered part of the state highway system.
Then you might want to avoid writing dreck like the following:
The $2.1 Billion shortfall of ferry system has already been added to the subsidies paid by motorists to you transit freeloaders,
So your saying motorists didn’t directly contribute a $1.27 Billion subsidy, via fuel taxes and license fees, to the ferry system’s operating and capital budget? Read the report you cited again, this time without the special rose colored liberal-vision glasses.
So your saying motorists didn’t directly contribute a $1.27 Billion subsidy, via fuel taxes and license fees, to the ferry system’s operating and capital budget?
No, I wasn’t saying that, reading comprehension genius. You’re the one living in backward-land, where somehow ferry-using motorists subsidize light-rail riders (?!?).
Read the report you cited again, this time without the special rose colored liberal-vision glasses.
It’s easy to read, genius: private motorists get all the benefits of WSDOT (including a subsidized ferry system for their cars) while paying around half the costs. The balance comes from all of the rest of us, non-motorists included. That’s your glorious socialistic motoring subsidy, comrade; obstreperously refusing to admit it does nothing to change that.
So your saying motorists didn’t directly contribute a $1.27 Billion subsidy, via fuel taxes and license fees, to the ferry system’s operating and capital budget?
Careful throwing around the “reading comprehension genius” term, comrade. Point out in that statement where I said anything about subsidizing light-rail parasites (?!?). You brought this thread to the ferry system budget. I correctly stated that all motorists, including farmers in Eastern Washington you so love to call welfare cases, contribute 3+ dollars to the ferry system’s budget for every dollar earned in fare income. In fact, those Eastern Washington farmers contribute more proportionally via fuel taxes and license fees than any other motorists in Washington, due to longer distances they drive in heavier vehicles with higher license fees, yet according to your report those counties are chronically underfunded by WSDOT. It’s simple logic, not that you have a clue on that subject.
“It’s easy to read”
That may be, but apparently it’s not so easy to understand given your pre-school level of reasoning. Society get all the benefits of WSDOT of which motorists directly pay at least half the costs. The other half is paid by all of us, the overwhelming majority who are motorists. So half is directly paid by motorists. Of the other half, You transit leeches (being 3%ers) contribute 3%. 3% of half is 1.5%. That means motorists fund 98.5% of the roads that benefit all society and you sponges aren’t satisfied and want more.
You want to enjoy 100% of the benefits of roads to modern life,
And I do. Food travels from farm to city on roads, in trucks whose business owners pay fuel taxes and licensing fees. As a consumer, those costs are passed along to me. That’s how capitalism works, comrade.
As a consumer, those costs are passed along to me also. You freeloading transit leeches want to skip out on paying the rest of the costs while at the same time demanding all of society pony up $54 Billion for a system the majority of us won’t be able to use until some indeterminate time many years in the future, if ever. That’s how National (Democratic) Socialism works, comrade. At least until you run out of other people’s money, that is.
As a consumer, those costs are passed along to me also.
Yes, we pay indirectly when you we the roads indirectly, and you pay directly (via licensing fees and fuel taxes) when your direct use of your vehicles degrades the road surface. If you have a problem with this, please do let us know what it is.
“Yes, we pay indirectly when we the (sic) roads indirectly, and you pay directly (via licensing fees and fuel taxes) when your direct use of your vehicles degrades the road surface”
You’re either extremely dense, or you’re being deliberately obtuse with your view that only you bloodsucking transit leeches pay for roads indirectly. I’ll give you the benefit of doubt and go with extremely dense. Let me translate it into crayon for your SSD educated comprehension level.
The majority of us citizens who are motorists pay half the costs for roads directly, via licensing fees and fuel taxes AND pay the majority of the other half of the costs indirectly AND heavily subsidize you transit freeloaders transportation choices. YOU’RE the beneficiary of the glorious motoring subsidy, comrade, despite what the other two members of the beret-and-goatee set down at Komrade’s Koffee tell you.
Sponging off the producers in our society is so ingrained in you National (Democratic) Socialists, you don’t even blink in demanding an additional $54 Billion subsidy for a system that will never be convenient for most of us to use. You should be grateful your lifestyle is already heavily subsidized and shut up about our elected representatives authorizing a freeway to be built in Spokane that us motorists are directly and indirectly paying the vast majority of the costs for. If you have a problem with this, please do let us know what it is.
VOTE HILLARY SHE IS BRIGHT
Vote hillary she knows best
Neither of the persons you mentioned are candidates for our state’s legislature. Please try to stay on-topic.
I am supporting Hillary for President what is wrong with that? I came to realization that Hillary will win the next 2 presidential elections.
This post has nothing to do with presidential elections.
It doesn’t matter