The cuts are too deep. But they are what “any responsible household would do…” say conservatives, like the Washington Policy Center. Better to make cuts than to do something irresponsible like raise revenues.
In households across the state it would be considered irresponsible to deny a kid treatment for a broken arm for instance, rather than go out and raise some more income to pay for health care. Get a second job, beg, borrow, but hopefully not steal, to get care or treatment that the child needed.
The comparison of a state’s budget to a household budget is tricky, the economics are too complex. But if you go there, acknowledge that the analogy leads to more than one conclusion.
One conclusion is that raising revenue is by far the more responsible choice when faced with denying lifesaving services to our state’s most vulnerable individuals and families.
Many of these families are sacrificing their lives for the economic prosperity of others. Low-income workers, caught in the trap of high interest debt are the ones who are moving dollars into the profit columns of predatory lenders and big banks. Low- income workers work for low wages generating more profits for business owners and share holders. Many people living on fixed incomes in poverty have made the ultimate sacrifice, sacrificing their health for our country in war.
Would an income tax cause as much hardship for those who make more than $100,000 a year, even $60,000 a year as for those in our community who struggle to make ends meet with much less. Do their children not deserve the same basic opportunities? Basic health services, education and healthy food will still be available to those who make more than $75,000 a year after they pay an income tax. The hardship will be much worse for those loosing vital services under an all cuts budget.
A well designed income tax package could lower the tax burden of 70% of Washingtonians by lowering the sales, business, and property taxes and create a more stable source of revenue for our government services. A far more responsible choice for one of the wealthiest states in the nation.
