The Washington state Supreme Court has ordered the state to pay sanctions to the tune of $100,000 per day for lack of progress toward meeting the full requirements of public education funding found in the court’s 2012 McCleary decision. The court also incentivized Jay Inslee to call another legislative special session in order to address what the court views as funding shortcomings.
The justices would like to place the fine money in a special account “for the benefit of basic education.” The money would be returned to the state if Inslee orders a special session and lawmakers manage to appease the court by addressing the issues it raises.
Inslee released a written statement in which he did not indicate whether or not he would call a special session. He did say he would speak with State Attorney General Bob Ferguson and (most assuredly Democrat) legislators to analyze the order.
The far left was quick to attack Republicans, blaming them for the court’s decision. In what felt like mere moments after the decision, ultra-liberal mouthpiece Fuse Washington (funded by the far-left millionaires and billionaires at the Washington Progress Alliance) created a page on its website for the sole purpose of casting blame on State Senator Andy Hill. Fuse asks, “How much has Andy Hill cost us?” The page includes a running total and the following statement,
“Budget Chair Andy Hill is costing the state $100,000 in fines each day because his budget does not adequately fund education, the paramount duty of the state.”
Fuse’s knee-jerk blaming of Sen. Hill and Republicans for the court’s decision is, simply put, off base. That’s because our public schools only started seeing significant new money when the GOP-led Majority Caucus Coalition took over the Senate in 2013. And, frankly, the amount of money designated for meeting the McCleary decision was just about the only issue Republicans and Democrats agreed on at the start of budget negotiations, with both legislative bodies proposing $1-billion+ increases. In the end, lawmakers agreed on a $1.3 billion increase.
Before flinging its wild accusations, Fuse also forgets to take into account how our state got into the present education funding mess in the first place. The real irony – and not one Fuse is allowed to admit, if it wants to keep getting its funding from rich liberals – is that Democrats have been chronically underfunding public education for a generation.
The facts are that Democrats have controlled at least one house of the Legislature in 28 of the last 30 years – and had complete control of the Legislature in 14 of those years. A Democrat governor has signed every state budget since 1985. Under these heavily Democrat-controlled budgets, the ratio of new education spending versus other new government spending was 1:2 (in other words, the Democrats’ priority was two dollars for bigger general government for every new dollar of education funding).
If Fuse would like to respond to the court’s decision by being honest in the blame game, the far left group would do better to point the finger at the Democrats it fiercely supports.
The point that seems to get lost, on here, and every other media piece about this, is that the court does not have the duty or authority to collect money, or fine a separate branch of government. Its in the state constitution. But, it seems like nobody is pointing that out. I know libs wont point it out, because their life mission is a bigger, more controlling government. But, even people on the right side of the isle, just accept that the court has the authority. The court has NO authority to fine state government. If they don’t pay, whats the court going to do? Arrest both houses? If the court pushes this, they are,(I hope)going learn a hard lesson on the Washington state constitution, and separation of powers.
You raise an excellent question. When part of the government violates our state’s Constitution, how do we the people compel the government to obey our Constitution? Historically, we appeal to the courts. In the case of a blatantly unconstitutional law (e.g. any attempt, via Initiative, to impose a 2/3 requirement for raising taxes upon our legislature), our judiciary can simply invalidate the unconstitutional law. In the case of school funding, our legislature has clearly failed to meet our Constitution’s requirement for funding education. How exactly should we proceed?
What Constitution? What Separation of Powers? Our Governor is currently still an active member of the WSBA while at the same time listed as the Chief Executive of the Executive Branch. Just like the Governor before him.
Having the Washington State Bar Association be created by the Supreme Court to be a leg of the Supreme Court . With the WSBA purpose and function being to license practicing attorneys, discipline practicing attorneys, complete with a Lawyers Fund for Client Protection.
But if the Supreme Court represents the Judicial Branch, then any Association it creates to be a leg of the Supreme Court, must also be considered to be of the same heritage of its parent, being the Judicial Branch.
Although according to the House of Rep’s Staff Attorney Mr. Loggerwell, he insisted to me that the WSBA was in fact really an Executive Branch Association. I myself am at a loss as to how this could be possible?
If in fact by some twisted method that this has been some how managed, thusly placing Gov. Inslee in the clear, then what about all of the Judges who are also members of the WSBA?
According to our Constitution, Governor Inslee has authority over every Judge working for the State of Washington. Authority to remove from Office if circumstances presented such.
However if you call Governor Inslee’s Office and ask about this, they will be quick to tell that this is not true.
Mention anything about having documented verifiable proof on record that the Judiciary and the WSBA are both Criminally Fraudulently Corrupt, involved with Criminal RICO Organized Crime, then all of a sudden the ol Separation of Powers becomes a major issue and unpassable road block for Governor Inslee.
Would that have anything to do with Governor Inslee being more loyal and biased towards his long established to & active association with the Judicial Branch and the WSBA? Probably would not require a person to scratch bald spots into ones scalp trying to figure this one out.
But if we appeal to corrupt Courts that make the term cronyism appear more than just simply inadequate to describe the real situation at hand, then what could be expected to accomplished with that appeal?
The intentional theatrics of passing blame back and forth between parties to consume our thoughts with, has become so outdated. Especially when it comes down to confronting them with real situations that command by Law , Oath to Office and clearly Stated within our Constitution, require immediate Official “action” to be taken in the best interest of the people.
Its as if they all accidently stepped into a small pool of super glue and just can’t move.
I understand the purpose /intent of the Separation of Powers. But if it is refused to be adhered to, refused to be acted upon when it is refused to be adhered to, then what is the purpose or sense of having any of these Laws, Rules, etc. at all?
Most certainly not just to provide a convenient excuse for our Representatives or one Branch or another to not really do anything at all.
However, that is indeed the situation at hand. So, as long as the “mush minded ” public is entertained by the blame casting theatrics to consume our thoughts with, then mission accomplished. With each of our Representatives Office Staff, whether it be the Senate or Congress, both be quick to ask when contacted & confronted with real problems, “what is it that you would like us to do for you?”
Practically like an identical recording, no matter what Office or agency you contact. If you confront the Legislative Branch with undeniable proof of severe corruption within the Judicial Branch, they will be quick to tell you that before they can voice their opinion about it, they must first consult with their on staff attorney. Their on staff attorney, also referred to as an Officer of the Court, mandated by Law to be a member of the WSBA and leg the Supreme Court/Judicial Branch.
So at this juncture, just what purpose does the Separation of Powers provide? Other than a duck blind?
Having our Law makers immediately tell you that they are not attorneys, therefore incapable of interpreting the Laws they help design, remodel, etc. Preventing them from providing you with an unbiased , non corrupt answer.
Sorry for traveling so far off the beaten path here concerning funding education. Point being that it will continuously be the same problems without first straightening up the foundation everything rests upon. Like honoring our Constitution for starters. Purging from the ranks of our Government those of who that don’t. Regardless if they refuse to honor the Constitution for fear of retaliation, alienation from the rest.
Unfortunately every honest attorney in the past that has attempted to blow the whistle on corruption, the WSBA has seen to it with a corrupt quickness, they are no longer licensed attorneys in the State of Washington.
Wow, too bad more like you dont have the ear of “our” government. Well said man.
Thanks Ray, it is unfortunate that the condition of our Government mandates that I have this ear for our hijacked Government.
The far left was quick to attack Republicans, blaming them for the court’s decision.
Where, oh where, did they ever get the idea that Republicans were responsible?
…Republican State Senator Andy Hill, the person who actually wrote the state budget.
Ooops…
“That’s because our public schools only started seeing significant new
money when the GOP-led Majority Caucus Coalition took over the Senate in
2013.”
Since correlation doesn’t equal causation, I can change the second part of that sentence from “when the GOP-led Majority Coalition Caucus took over the Senate in 2013” to “when President Obama was re-elected in 2012” or “after Russell Wilson joined the Seahawks in 2013” and have it make just as much sense.
The only truthful answer, certainly, is McCleary, which started getting adequate legislative attention that year.