Thousands rally to stop Washington cuts

OLYMPIA, Wash.--Seven thousand state workers and their supporters took over the steps of the Capitol building February 15 to demand that lawmakers "Raise revenue!" and "Save our future!"

Washington state faces a $2.8 billion budget shortfall this year, following cuts of more than $4 billion last year. Organized by the Washington Federation of State Employees, the rally was supported by students throughout the state, as well as social service advocates, including Planned Parenthood and unions including the International Association of Machinists and the Service Employees International Union.

Several people spoke about what the budget cuts would mean to their lives--from aid recipients, to state workers, to teachers and students. One moving statement came from a fourth grade student who stated, "These cuts are hurting kids. My school can't even afford new library books."

John Martinez, a community college teacher, told the Seattle Times, "We're opposed to any further cuts to education and social services. We need to expand services and raise salaries for educators and health workers. We think a tax on wealthy individuals and corporations will contribute to that."

Democratic Party politicians, including state Sen. Ed Murray said they supported the rally's demands and got rousing applause from the demonstration. Yet the Democrats' real approach was revealed by House Majority Leader Lynn Kessler, who told the Seattle Times, "You just can't do an all-cuts budget. We cut so much last year we don't have much left."

In other words, Democrats are planning to raise some revenue, but also plan to make more cuts. Unfortunately, many union leaders have echoed this, calling for a "balanced" approach that includes tax increases and more cuts. With the thousands of layoffs from last year, frozen wages, cuts in services and whole programs dropped, Washington state cannot afford any more cuts.

If the planned cuts go through this year, thousands of students will lose financial aid and thousands of low-income people will be forced off the state's Basic Health Plan.

The other problem is that the Democrats are proposing regressive taxes that hurt poor and working people. Gov. Christine Gregoire has proposed taxes on bottled water, soda, cigarettes and candy. These taxes would raise only $700 million in new revenue--still leaving a gap of $2.1 billion.

Unfortunately, the union slogan " Raise Revenue!" leaves open the possibility of these regressive taxes. Not only will these hurt other working people, but they will undercut the support of workers in the private sector for the demands of state workers.

A far better approach was followed in Oregon, where voters passed Measures 66 and 67, raising taxes on the rich. There was plenty of support for this approach at the rally--including hand-made signs that said, "Robin Hood was right, tax the rich!"

But if this approach is to win out over the regressive consumption taxes now being proposed by the Democrats, it will take a strong and organized campaign. This will mean dropping the calls for a "balanced approach" that are now followed by too many labor leaders who want to get along with their Democratic "allies" in the state legislature.

The danger of relying on taxes that undercut the living standards of ordinary people was shown by the smaller rally that preceded the union rally, where the "Tea Party Movement" called for a cut in state taxes. If taxes continue to target the poor and workers, this will only further fuel the anti-tax movement.

Currently, Washington state has the most regressive tax structure of any state in the U.S. The top of the income scale pays only 3 percent of its income in state taxes, while the bottom 20 percent pay 17 percent of their income in state taxes.

Both to defend working-class living standards, and to win more political support from poor and working people, those who oppose budget cuts must demand that we "Tax the rich!"

Other rallies are planned to keep the heat on the legislature, which is scheduled to announce its budget on March 11. One of these is a student day of action in alliance with the California demonstrations to defend education on March 4. Actions will be held on campuses in Seattle, Olympia and elsewhere in the state.