Balance the Budget Without Tax Hikes

Good advice for state legislators from the Columbian this morning: Read her lips. Referring to the governor's stated opposition to raising taxes to balance the budget, the paper notes

If the governor can keep that pledge and write a budget during horrific economic times? which she did two months ago? then so can the Legislature.

And forget about sending a tax proposal to the voters.

Legislators should stop wasting time wondering if voters? many of whom are joining the growing ranks of the unemployed? would approve tax increases. Instead, budget writers, just keep cutting.

I made a similar observation in The Herald of Everett yesterday.