Garth Everett

It is clear that the governor’s attempt to use state workers as pawns has failed. We are now five weeks past the budget deadline with little movement on either side to enact a balanced budget. Even though three-fifths of House and Senate members will not support a broad-based tax increase, a minority of House Democrats and the governor will not let go of their plan to increase taxes and spending. The feedback I am getting from residents of the 84th Legislative District, even from state workers who are not getting paid, is that they strongly support holding the line on spending and taxes. The governor and the House Democrat leaders could have passed a budget at the end of June that would have funded state government without a tax increase. If the governor didn’t agree with all of the funding numbers, he could have called us into a special session to work on areas of disagreement. That might have ruined vacation plans for the governor and us legislators, but that is part of our job.