Gov. Gregoire visits Moses Lake

Addresses issues at Big Bend

MOSES LAKE - Gov. Chris Gregoire discussed state issues and her opponent in the 2008 election Friday in Moses Lake.

Gregoire spoke at Big Bend Community College at an event open to the public. She discussed the business climate, as well as health, education and transportation issues, and taxes.

Grant County Democrats Precinct Committee Officer Nancy Parr said when Gregoire took over in 2005, she inherited a $2.2 billion budget deficit.

"Some people say she's still running a deficit, but it's not true," Parr said. "We're running in the black."

Before giving a speech, Gregoire recognized longtime and well-known Ephrata resident Mabel Thompson. Thompson attended the event.

"I think Mabel is the senior (precinct committee officer) in the state," Gregoire said. "Would you join me for a shout-out to Mabel Thompson?"

The audience responded with applause for Thompson.

Gregoire talked of her connection to Moses Lake, having considered the late Fred Faber of Faber Industrial a father to her. She said Faber's wife was like a second mother.

"My association to Moses Lake is long and strong," she said. "It's like a family."

Going into her speech, Gregoire addressed the "negative ads" attacking her performance.

She said residents voted for the gas tax because they knew it was the right thing to do for fixing transportation in Washington.

Since Gregoire became governor, more than 200 transportation projects will be finished by the end of the year, she said.

Gregoire said Republican opponent Dino Rossi acts as though he never stepped foot in Olympia. But Rossi was the senator who helped create the unhealthy budget she inherited, she said.

Gregoire echoed Parr's reassurance about the current health of the budget.

"Washington state has an $800 million surplus," Gregoire noted. "We had the highest unemployment rate in the country, in January of 2005, tied with Florida. Since that time, this last year, we had the lowest unemployment rate in the history of the state of Washington."

She said while hundreds of thousands of jobs disappeared in Ohio, Washington created 220,000 new jobs.

Two weeks ago, Forbes Magazine named Washington the third best state in which to do business, Gregoire said.

She said the budget Rossi helped shape cut health care coverage for low-income children. When she became governor, she stopped the coverage from being cut, she said.

"Since that time, we've added 84,000 more kids," Gregoire said. "We're on our way to all children having health care coverage."

Gregoire said she believes providing health care to children is the right thing to do. In addition, if children do not receive health care coverage they will go to emergency rooms, which is more expensive for the state, Gregoire said.

She says Rossi's past budget never accounted for two voter-approved initiatives passed in Washington - one being reduced classroom sizes and the other funding for teachers.

She said the state found a skilled, trained work force was key to a strong economy.

When Gregoire came into office, Washington was considered one of the worst states for early childhood education, she said.

Early childhood education is now a focus of the state, Gregoire said. A new department was created to focus exclusively on it. She spoke of the benefits of all-day kindergarten for giving students a good start.

In addition, she discussed the increase of apprenticeships in Washington for students who are not college-bound. She said the number of apprenticeships more than doubled and the state is leading in high demand fields at community and technical colleges, and universities, Gregoire said.

In discussing the budget, Gregoire mentioned the reported deficit in Rossi's budget, as well as the Bush Administration's deficit.

"I take no lessons on how to do a budget from those folks. None," she said.

The Pew Institute rated Washington one of the top three states for management, looking at budget, personnel and infrastructure management, as well as openness, she said.

"We had a 14-year-low in the crime rate in the state of Washington," Gregoire noted.

Gregoire attributed the success in combating crime to partnerships with Washington's law enforcement agencies.

Gregoire spoke of the opportunity in Washington for a "21st century economy" based on Washington's geography and the global climate change.

She said she is offended by an alleged attempt by Rossi to divide Washington state. She spoke of different entities in Washington helping cities during an emergency, regardless of territory.

"We are better as one Washington," she said. "We are all Washingtonians."