People in government think that your money is their money. Of course, the government will never have enough of your money.
Pro government pro tax politicians have raised taxes at a record pace for the last two years. It is no secret that Washington state has passed the biggest tax increase in state history. It is still not enough to keep pace with their proposed spending.
The legislature almost gave counties the ability to raise your property taxes significantly and without your vote. At least there was enough public outrage for the legislature to table that. For now.
Twenty-five years ago, citizens were so outraged at yearly property tax increases that exceeded 5% that they passed an initiative that limited those increases to 1%. Last year, the Clark County Council increased property tax levies by the maximum amount possible without a vote of the people. They also raised the countywide sales tax.
It will never be enough. In four years, they have raised the general fund levy 5%, they have raised the road fund levy 8.5%, and they have raised the conservation futures levy 16%.
If you let the government employees, choose what to cut, they will always select what the citizens want most. They will cut police, fire protection, and parks and recreation. Then they will demand you raise taxes to restore it. To them, the bureaucracy is essential.
If you want tax increases restrained, you will have to elect someone who will restrain it. You need someone who will dig into the budget to find real non-essential services that can be cut. You need someone who will bring new, innovative, and cost-effective ways to do things. Instead of doing it the way it always have been.
My promise is simple. I will prioritize what the people want first.