Did you vote?

Just a reminder to all you folks here in Washington State, today is the day. If you haven’t gotten your ballot out, get on it.  There’s a couple places you can drop it off or get it to the Post Office prior to closing time.  It needs to be either post marked or delivered to a drop box today, so no more procrastinating.

If you’re still concerned about how to vote, let me help you.

I-1183.  Get’s the state out of the liquor business, reducing prices for consumers and increasing state revenue while at the same time decreasing state payables.  It’s a win, win, win.  Vote yes.

I-1163.  Maybe the dumbest thing ever.  Basically, it takes the requirements for training that are already in place with the state, and transfers it in such a way that it’s no longer in the hands of the government, but now in the hands of Unions.  Even better, it costs MORE money for the same training and background checks, but that’s ok right?  The state can just raise our taxes to cover the difference, so the union can have more jobs and more control over things.  Yeah, not happening.  Vote no.  You want to give more of your money to the State, fine.  Make a donation, I’m sure they’ll be happy to take it.

I-1125.  I’m really torn on this one, and I wish it wasn’t so all encompassing.  First, make it the responsibility of the elected officials to set tolls, not an appointed board of people who we can’t vote out if they tick us off.  Great.  I like it.  Let’s do it.  The second part?  Wait, what?  No more variable tolls?  Ok, I can kinda dig it.  I mean, it would be nice to always know what the toll was going to be, but on the other hand, the variable toll roads I know of open up to all traffic later in the day, and have lower tolls during less congested times to encourage more folks to use that lane.  That sounds like a win to me, but if this bill passes, it will be one price at all times. I’m sure they won’t set it too low, so we’re losing the benefits of a variable lane.  I voted yes on this, but only because I think the benefits of forcing the elected officials to set the price outweigh the ridiculousness of having it set at the same rate for cars and semis', day and night.  Whatever works for you, this is a bill that I can honestly say I don’t care one way or the other if it passes. 

I voted to approve both of the amendments to the state constitution because one really doesn’t do anything, and I think the other would help us limit how much more screwed we get by our state spending us into the hole.  Resolution 8205 cleans up language in our state constitution to match what we already do, which was dictated by a Supreme Court ruling.  So it changes nothing.  Resolution 8206  limits the amount of money the state can spend in times when the economy is wonderful, and requires that a certain percentage of revenue be put aside in a separate fund.  That fund can help continue the programs run by the state in lean times. 

I’m had to argue with myself over that, because that could obviously be manipulated, and I suspect it will, but I also believe that it will help limit how fast the state can increase spending.  Personally, I’d like a hard ceiling on state spending, but that isn’t likely to happen.  I’ll settle for slowing them down a bit.

That’s my $0.02.  Take it or leave it, but get out there and vote.  Unless you don’t have a clue what you’re voting for, then just stay at home until Thursday.