“Left Behind” Transportation Package
Are these reasonable people?
I understand why so many people stop paying attention to the news. It’s discouraging. It’s grim. It’s like drinking sewage from a fire hose. There’s a growing sense that it’s ALL propaganda. It’s hard work to decide what is true and what is “fake news.” However, it’s important that you pay attention just enough to be able to make smart choices when you think about voting in the elections this fall.
For years the Democrats in Washington state have controlled the governor’s mansion, the State House and the State Senate—with devastating results for the taxpayers and citizens. 2022 will be a huge opportunity to flip the balance of power in the Washington State Legislature to a majority of Republicans in both houses.
If restoring public safety, limiting the governor’s emergency powers, reducing taxes, and giving parents a greater say in education is appealing to you, please get involved early in the 2022 election cycle. You, your family and friends are all needed to help solve the problems we face in Washington state.
Here’s the “Cliffs Notes” analysis of our primary problem: Washington state Democrats think you’re too stupid to notice they are creating a socialist utopia and taxing you into poverty. They know you’re too busy working to pay attention to what they are doing to you.
This year, the Democrats stopped pretending to listen to the taxpayers or the minority party. This year, they decided there was no need to pretend to care about anyone but their special-interest donors. They went in a room, locked the door, and late in the session, came out with a transportation package that served the Puget Sound region and very few others. As usual, they didn’t want debate and they weren’t interested in making any concessions or compromises with the minority party.
“The Democrat majorities decided against providing tax relief to struggling Washington State families with the $15 billion in state revenue surplus. Instead they chose to use the money to expand the size and permanent cost of government” (tinyurl.com/5bfevnnk).
Here’s today’s example: SB 5974 – Transportation Resources, part of the transportation package, a group of bills passed by the last legislature, which some Republicans have called the “Left Behind” transportation package (tinyurl.com/yc63an2y). The $16 BILLION transportation package raids the general fund, hikes many fees and leans hard on a cap-and-trade tax that is not yet in place (tinyurl.com/mryeu9hd).
Those of us who drive a car for work or play will be paying for this “Left Behind” package. I thought you'd be interested in these fee increases: enhanced drivers license, a 75% fee increase; dealer temp permit, up 166%; license plate fee, up 400%; replacement license plate fee, up 200%. So much for our $30 car tabs! Not only did the Democrats block those, they doubled down on adding more fees. No tax relief for Washington drivers!
In addition, the “Left Behind” package grants “transportation benefit districts” new taxing authority. This includes an up to 2% tax on natural gas, steam energy, or telephone businesses (tinyurl.com/5bfevnnk). If you live in one of Washington’s special transportation districts, you’ll have no vote on additional tax increases to fund your local transportation district’s pet projects.
The final part of transportation funding is the cap-and-trade system to tax carbon emissions which was authorized in the 2021 legislative session. This carbon tax is estimated, at the low end, to increase the cost of fuel at the pump by 18 cents a gallon starting January of 2023—after the 2022 elections, of course (tinyurl.com/mryeu9hd)!
There are even hidden surprises! Section 415 of this 122-page monster sets a target to make it illegal to purchase, sell or register anything other than an electric vehicle as of model year 2030. I call this the “Let them drive Teslas” section! Not only are they making gasoline more expensive, they’re hoping to force you to drive electric vehicles in the future!
Section 415 also documents that they don’t even have a plan for how to achieve the goal of mandating everyone to drive electric vehicles! Fortunately, they gave themselves time to figure that minor detail out!
That’s just one section, of one bill of the three in the transportation package, which was created in secret by the majority progressive socialist Democrats that control our state.
If you’re tired of nonsense laws, taxes, targets and fee increases that make your lifestyle, your liberty and your economic prosperity illegal, then it’s time for you to get involved in the political game. It’s not just about casting a vote. It’s helping your favorite candidate, joining a special-interest group or simply working to educate your friends and family members. To stop the destruction of Washington State, we will have to convince moderates and independents that it’s time for a change this fall!
Nancy Churchill is the state committeewoman for the Ferry County Republican Party. She may be reached at DangerousRhetoric@pm.me. The opinions expressed in Dangerous Rhetoric are her own.