Rep. Jim Dunn predicts up to a $1.2 Billion State deficit

[Chief]

During yesterday's Town Hall meeting at the WSUV Campus Administration Building, Representative Jim Dunn (R. Vancouver) predicted that the State of Washington was likely to see a deficit in the State budge of between $600 Million to $1.2 Billion Dollars.

When asked how he thinks that situation will be resolved, he predicted cuts to the State Police, and public schools because, according to Dunn, "That's what always gets cut first".

Last year the State saw a $1.2 Billion "surplus".

[Waterbuffalo]

"During yesterday's Town Hall meeting at the WSUV Campus Administration Building, Representative Jim Dunn (R. Vancouver) predicted that the State of Washington was likely to see a deficit in the State budge of between $600 Million to $1.2 Billion Dollars.

When asked how he thinks that situation will be resolved, he predicted cuts to the State Police, and public schools because, according to Dunn, "That's what always gets cut first".

Last year the State saw a $1.2 Billion "surplus."

Well there are a lot of other places to cut, hiring freezes on all government agencies, delaying road and infrastructure projects, pay cuts across the government board at the state level and on and on..

Honestly, I'd like to know where and how get got these "calculations.."

[Chief]

He was speaking completely off the cuff yesterday and without notes....

[Waterbuffalo]

Sounds like we should implant all of our old notes in Clarkblog inside of him eh?

Now where do I find my old Fema links...

[Chief]

I got this via e-mail this morning, and it appears to reinforce Rep. Jim Dunn's prediction that the State is facing a considerable deficit. In this instance I did not dispute his claim, I mentioned that he spoke without notes, and handed nothing out to back his statements up on this particular issue.

I appreciate the backup on this story, as I don't see the columbian jumping on it either. Yet...

Since I cannot publish this graph here, I've asked Mike to plan on providing some of these at the Firstenberg Center on Saturday.

Here it is.

----- Original Message -----
From: Wallin, Mike
To: Bob Koski
Sent: Monday, January 28, 2008 9:35 AM
Subject: FW: 2007-09 Budget Gap Dec 07 Govxls.xls


Bob:

Rep. Dunn does not speak off the cuff without some knowledge of what he is speaking about.

Please find attached our latest budget projections (based on September revenue forecasts), be sure to look at the chart as well as sheet 1. AND, keep in mind our next revenue forecast will likely be much concerning. Things are not good.
The legislature is spending too much.

Hope all is well

Mike



This is an excerpt from the spreadsheet that is in a format I cannot resolve here, so I cannot post it entirely, but the test from it reads:

The governor's 2008 supplemental budget worsens a big 2007-09 imbalance between current revenue and current spending. There is a structural deficit of almost $1.1 billion between forecast Near General Fund revenue and Near General Fund appropriations, creating a large projected shortfall in the next biennium.

[Waterbuffalo]

While looking for video updates of our Local legislative delegations for the 18th, 17th, 15th and 49th Districts, I came upon Jim Dunn's site and saw some interesting things.

Chief, here is a list of all of the Bills that Jim has been apart of according to a Legislative Search Engine..

http://www.leg.wa.gov/House/dunn/SponsoredBills.htm

[Chief]

Rep. Jim Dunn's office just sent me this document to illustrate the Budget Gap the State of Washington is facing.


The 2007-09 Budget Gap (http://www.clarkblog.org/docs/TownHallPoster08.pdf?s=&showtopic=4351&view=findpost&p=28980)

[Waterbuffalo]

AWEEE! Red, White and Blue! How patriotic for a PDF! :-)

Now I wonder how many NO's are going to be said for the next few bienniums and to whom..

[Chief]

Well, you'll notice that all Dunn is documenting here is the potential gap between revenues and expenses. While this document looks just great, and is accurate in what it says, it also provides absolutely no detail about what Jim Dunn thinks should be done to fix the problem.

"Cut spending" sounds great, but the devil is in the details, and any cuts that are proposed have to pass muster with colleagues in Olympia, usually in Committee where these matters are being hammered out. Unfortunately Jimm Dunn is out of the Committee loop, and can contribute nothing to the current discussions other than to offer his opinions and vote once in a while.

This problem defies simple and dismissive answers...

:cool:

[Waterbuffalo]

Wonder what will be Pridemore's list of cuts he will bring forth to the table?

Dunn is basically a dud now.. So I'll just take a back seat and just ingore him until he runs again, then vote him out.

[Chief]

I wanted to be sure and point out that Jim's Staff was very thorough on presenting materials that prove there is a looming $1.2 Billion budget imbalance that needs correcting.

But he offered virtually no solutions to the problem. Frankly, since he is not on committee at all, there isn't much he really can do about any of this, at least not during this legislative session. Since he cannot get committee assignments until after the next election, Jim Dunn has the time on his hands to put on these local Town Hall meetings, but from the overall performance yesterday, I learned absolutely nothing about what active things Jim Dunn intends to do about this budget imbalance.

The local media whom he claims hate him so much won't give him any attention, and I can see why. He really doesn't take much of this seriously in my view, and I question the sources he is getting his information from.

[Waterbuffalo]

"The local media whom he claims hate him so much won't give him any attention, and I can see why. He really doesn't take much of this seriously in my view, and I question the sources he is getting his information from."

Chief, after what I witnessed at yesterday's meeting and had to walk to and from bus stops in the snow makes me wonder why he's still in office. Complaining gets no one anywhere??

Like I have said to other members of Clarkblog, where is the adverbs instead of the adjectives in your sentences.

Jim Dunn was just placating the constituency that he was facing at that meeting, not giving us "REAL" and "Concrete" answers to the problems that face his constituents. He was just talking to a small minority of loud mouths who think they can get there way and get people elected but in the end, don't have the organization, planning and ability to get the voters in Jim's district that live in apartments and condos that have an average rate of staying around in one place for more than 5 years.

If you want to get these apathetic people out to vote, you need to hit them where they mostly understand and will want to help fix Vancouver's problems. One of these is the current Gang Problem, which in the next three years is going to cost the City about 2.4 Million dollars over three years to implement at the Local street cop beat and law enforcement level.

Transportation is another big ticket item. Not going to go into it here. There is all ready too much listed at Clarkblog with appropriate threads.

Unfair taxation and people not paying their fair share? When is this "Small Group" going to realize that that two hundred thousand people average don't care??? Hit them at the state border with enforcement of WSP or Dept. of Revenue agents on the ramps early in the morning or go through each and every apartment complex.

Do you think this is the Wisest use of tax money to pay troopers to deal with the subject? to go after tax cheats, when they should be out working on nailing drunks and speeders?

There is so much more I could say but going to leave the subject right there.

[Chief]

I'm not sure you, tefen or myself are capable of having a rational disussion about any of these topics.

Remember that one of the people who was in that room bitching about the lack of media access to issues in Clark County, is personally responsible for shooting down the debate last summer in flames. She has a very short memory, and after reading her rabid attack letters in the columbian that denounced the Firstenberg Center, I'm surprized that she had the gall to walk in the door.

8)

[Waterbuffalo]

"I'm not sure you, tefen or myself are capable of having a rational discussion about any of these topics."

This sounds like what happened. I didn't comment because of how shocked and horrified I was. Did spout a few heres and there about stuff that was going on but like I said in several different Jim Dunn threads here, I had 10 transportation questions were similar but different than Chiefs questions and desires to have answered.

Would have accepted one or two would have been answered. But that whole thing was a sham and charade.

With that raucous crowd there and the unfortunately souls who came to get but left because of the level of ranker from the idiots who had no decorum or thought about there level of civility. It made me quite Angry that the gentleman's questions who sounded like an immigrant to me left wasn't answered and he was just brushed off like he was an illegal alien or an idiot.

And the husband/father and his two sons who came in to listen, they left along with a whole bunch of others that left. Only people that were left there except for the nurse who sat next to me and you, were just being agreeable to this mob idiocy.

"Remember that one of the people who was in that room bitching about the lack of media access to issues in Clark County, is personally responsible for shooting down the debate last summer in flames. She has a very short memory, and after reading her rabid attack letters in the columbian that denounced the Firstenberg Center, I'm surprized that she had the gall to walk in the door."

Now since I wasn't in the negotiations related to the failure of the Firstenburg Center debate debacle, can't comment. But any idiot can get a camera or portable video camera thingamajig from Fred Meyer, go to any web host of any size, upload the video files to youtube, embed links into a weblog and create there own video blog site. Would take under 24 hours and about 100 dollar to do it.

Honestly, these fools deserve there own company and I want NOTHING to do with them. Let them scream and shout. I'd love to see them all hauled out of every public meeting in Clark County.. It doesn't take rocket science to figure things out.

It seems the woman who sat next to you with the big mouth has had run-ins with some of the local politicians because she can't do this: Stop, listen, think and respond in appropriate terms.. Four things she's lacking and four steps she jumps just to turn situation into a fracas because she doesn't like how some is going.

We all have our issues and sides on illegal immigration, there was some good ideas brought forth to Jim's attention on things he needs to work on or bills that need to be introduced. But most of that crap that was said, was federal issues and responsibilities.

Dunn has no power, influence, or sway in the legislature.. Don't think these people understand the one basic level of government at all.......

[Chief]

What I meant to say...

I'm not sure anyone besides you, tefen or myself are capable of having a rational disussion about any of these topics.

[Waterbuffalo]

:) Well I think there are a few others your missing.. Especially a few politicans I've talked too..

[Chief]

I mean here at clarkblog...those other politicians you speak of aren't here, although many of them do look in quite frequently...

:cool:

[Waterbuffalo]

Any thing is possible. This board has become popular in watercooler news floating around Vancouver that I have to believe.

Now I hope to move on to another subject than just whining on and on about a meeting.

Looks like you posted 10 items. Will go take a look.

[Chief]

bttt....

So who do we believe on this? Jim Dunn or out lying eyes??

::)

[Waterbuffalo]

oh ok.. :-)