Budget crisis an opportunity to change status quo in Olympia
Special to Skagit County Republicans
Thank you for all your hard work and support! It has made a difference. We have more Republicans in the Legislature this year. Now the real work begins!
With the state facing a budget deficit exceeding $5 billion, the status quo-protectors in Olympia are predicting doom and gloom. They have grown too accustomed to government trying to do all things for all people. The time for that must end.
We need to use the budget crisis as an opportunity to address entrenched problems and change the status quo.
Our principles for the budget are simple, but important. Just like families and businesses have done to survive in this down economy, it's time for state government to prioritize, reset, and adjust to economic realities.
That means creating a priorities-based budget that funds the most basic essentials of government, which are education, public safety, and the protection of our most vulnerable citizens.
If a state program is not a priority, we need to question whether it should exist. And we must review all state agencies to see if what they are doing can be carried out in a more cost-effective way.
As the session moves forward, I encourage you to become involved. Go to the Legislature's Web site at www.leg.wa.gov where you can follow bills and committee hearings. Become informed by signing up for my e-newsletter on my Web site at: houserepublicans.wa.gov/Kristiansen. Provide your input through letters, e-mail, testifying before a committee, and through the toll-free legislative hotline at 1-800-562-6000. Be the “12th Man” of your citizen Legislature. Together, we can provide a more competitive economic climate for jobs, a leaner and more efficient government, and a better Washington for our families.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Rep. Dan Kristiansen, R-Snohomish, serves as chairman of the Washington House Republican Caucus and represents the 39th Legislative District. He can be contacted at (360) 786-7967 or e-mail him through his Web site at: houserepublicans.wa.gov/Kristiansen. His office address is: P.O. Box 40600, Olympia, WA 98504-0600.
