well, if they spend, they must tax....

http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/spruiell200406280914.asp

And in contrast... a governor with real fiscal responsibility:

http://www.nationalreview.com/murdock/murdock200406280927.asp

Just received my King County property value assessment notice. Even if they don't do anything to the rates, it appears I'm in for a 13% increase in my taxes. In addition to sending Sims into the dustbin of history, therefore, we need a Prop. 13 up here (at least to slow the rate of assessment increases to the rate of inflation, if nothing else).

sanford in s.carolina seems to be taking the right fiscal approach to governing/leading. i wonder how he is perceived by HIS constiuency?

A Colorado-style "taxpayer bill of rights" would seem to be an excellent idea for Republicans to run on. Limit spending increases to inflation plus population growth.

Sanford's approval ratings are in the 70+ per cent range ... despite the hostility of the local media.

Bill Owen and Mark Sanford are my GOP dreamticket. Unfortunately, our political system guarantees that only the most mediocre talent, with the ideas least likely to upset the status quo, make it to the top of the Presidential ticket.

John Doe:

"Limit spending increases to inflation plus population growth."

We already have that in Washington state; I-601.
But since its passage in 1993, it's been loopholed, spindled and anymore, it's basically nothing more than a toothless guideline upon which the biennial budget is charted.

And property taxes aren't included.

We've been in our house since 1998 and are still paying twice as much in property taxes every year as we pay in principal on our loan.

However, it is nice to see Sims come out and say what he's going to do, as opposed to the typical Ds in this state who claim a semi-conservative stance ... until they're elected.

I would offer a graphic on house taxes, if such things worked in blog comments. It's based on my humble bungalow (800 square feet) south of Green Lake, whose taxes were approximately 200 dollars annually in 1975, and are now 2,000. The overall curve, smoothed to show long term trends, is concave upward.

If Maria Cantwell can crusade by mere assertions against 'Enron's illegal electricity trading', I surely can do likewise against King County's 'immoral greed with respect to the plunderability of homeowners'. Only I have real facts on my side.

It appears Ron Sims hasn't paid attention to Eyeman's success with various inititives that reduced taxes or the 601 lid on spending the legislature reduced to a speed bump or Oregon's recent rejection of a massive tax increase to fund healthcare or Arnold's California campaign built on a no new taxes pledge. The electorate is speaking with a clear voice.

Sims has spent too much time in "politically retarded Seattle" (I thank Matt Rosenburg for that wonderful and apt description of Seattle) preaching to the Choir.

The Democratic bench for Gov seems both weak and nonsensical in Washington.

Attention Ron, tent city pilgrims are not a very reliable voting constituency, nearby home owners and those near that long list of future tent cities you so cleverly published will surely go to the polls.

Speaking of socialist bitches...

" Hillary Clinton told several hundred supporters to expect to lose some of the tax cuts passed by President Bush if Democrats win the White House and control of Congress.

"'Many of you are well enough off that ... the tax cuts may have helped you," Sen. Clinton said. "We're saying that for America to get back on track, we're probably going to cut that short and not give it to you. We're going to take things away from you on behalf of the common good.'"

http://www.sfexaminer.com/article/index.cfm/i/062904n_clintons

uhhh, what's wrong with telling a bunch of rich people that their taxes might go up, given that we are facing a huge deficit and the republican led congress and republican president can't seem to control their spending?

if a democrat spent like this, the right would be on fire, but except for a few brave dissenters, the right, again, appears lockstep behind bush, as if there were no issues. where is the outrage on this federal spending/deficit issue?

I guess the right is hiding their fiscal responsibility in the same place the left is hiding their outrage over using private information about personal lives to destroy political careers (Jack Ryan), their outrage over the hijacking the democratic process and the imposition of ideological litmus tests on federal judges (filibustered judicial nominations), or their outrage over the suppression of political speech (McCain-Feingold)

And, remind me, how much of the reckless spending is driven by the Education Bill that Ted Kennedy authored? How much by the Agriculture subsidies that Daschle and Harkin fought so hard for?

Give it up. All politicians suck... which is why they should be given as little money and power as possible.

Also, dinesh, were you aware that earlier this week a group of conservative Republican congressman tried to push through two bills, one which would sharply limit future spending increases, and another that would moderately limit future spending increases. Both bills were defeated because most moderate Republicans and nearly every democrat voted against them.

So stop pretending one side is better than the other. With very few exceptions, politicians are just out for themselves.

As long as we believe that government's reach extends to more parts of our personal and commerical lives, that it has a role at every table and the right to intervene in the relationships and private transactions between two or more parties, we will continue to see government grow.

It matters not whether the question is a budget deficit or tax policy. These are only the fog that masks the real issue. How much of our freedoms are we willing to exhange for the illusion of financal security? Because when we depend on the government for that security, we hold ourselves hostage to the next vote that can take it away.

The pols only do what an electorate wants by their votes or their consent by not voting.

By all accounts, Colorado's "Taxpayer Bill of Rights" which limits spending increases to inflation plus population growth, has been a huge success.

Perhaps something like that could be a rallying point for the Washington Republicans?