Inslee starts second term on a positive note

OLYMPIA — Gov. Jay Inslee was inaugurated for his second term and in his State of the State address, he called for legislators to work together to fully fund education.

Inslee called for reform in mental health and social services and reminded the legislature to continue the progress and discussions they had last session. He compared passing an education to climbing Mt. Everest, saying there are multiple approaches.

“Just as we set high expectations for our students,” Inslee said. “We should set high expectations for ourselves. And know that we are capable of meeting them.”

Sen. Judy Warnick, R-Moses Lake, said she appreciated the positive beginning of Inslee’s address to the legislature.

“I was encouraged by his willingness to work together,” Warnick said.

To fully fund basic education, Inslee said teacher’s salaries need to be increased as well as mentoring programs for young teachers entering the work force. He asked for an increase in counselors and nurses in schools as well as technical job training in high schools for students who may not want to pursue higher education.

To accomplish his expanded education plan, he asked the legislature to move forward with his budget plan, lowering property taxes, increasing capital gains tax, adding a carbon tax and increasing business and occupation taxes.

Rep. Mary Dye, R-Pomeroy, called the governor’s budget a “project creep” comparing it to remodeling a home.

“We’re going to remodel the kitchen, and suddenly you’ve got the Taj Mahal for a kitchen,” Dye said. “You started out with a $10,000 budget and you end up with a $100,000 budget because you wanted the granite counter tops. You liked the cooler fixtures. This is a project creep budget.”

Dye said the budget is encroaching upon areas that can be more effectively handled by the community and families instead of through government programs.

Rep. Matt Manweller, R-Ellensburg, said he agrees with the governor when it comes to his support for technical schools and believes a bachelor’s degree is not the only path to success.

“As a college professor, I agree with him 100 percent.” Manweller said. “Not every kid should have to go to college to get a job.”

Manweller said he does not agree with the governor’s tax plan. He feels the business and occupational tax increase would hurt the middle class and voters already had their say in November on the carbon tax. If passed, some of the carbon tax would go to water infrastructure.

“Why would we vote for something that voters just told us no on a few months ago?” Manweller said. “I love the water projects idea, but I don’t think a 25 cents a gallon gas tax is the way to get there.”