Columbian Newspaper Calls for Reform, Fiscal Restraint

This morning the Vancouver Columbian weighs in with an editorial calling on lawmakers to hold the line on taxes. As we mentioned yesterday, the Seattle Times and The News Tribune share that view.

Gregoire and lawmakers slashed spending in the previous legislative session, and they'll do so again come January. But in this recession, they must shun tax increases and focus on reform.

The editorial cites a Washington Policy Center report on privatization.

Instead of just wringing hands over doomsday budgets and running off in search of tax increases, many more reform measures should be considered. One area is privatizing state services. Gregoire and many legislators are reluctant to examine benefits of competitive contracting, likely because it would jeopardize their coziness with state workers and unions. But the Washington Policy Center estimates 10 to 20 percent could be saved in cases where the government monopoly is broken.

...the best strategy in response to a projected $2.9 billion deficit is reform, not bleeding more money out of taxpayers at a time when they can least afford any added burden.

Didn't somebody once say something about a crisis too good to waste?