It is so sad to see people who spend more money than they make on a vehicle which they can not afford the tabs. Get a life people and go back to California. Native Washingtonians do not want to bankrupt their state. Why is it that Republicans are always complaining about not having enough money? GREED GREED GREED!

-- Mary Jo Jensen-Papenbrock (maryjo@tx3.net), September 16, 1999

Answers

Mary Jo, the state is not going to be bankrupted. The only thing that IS bankrupt in this state is the ethics of the government and the minds of the liberals. and it is not Republicans who are complaining about not having enough money.

This is about intelligent citizens telling the state and greedy people like YOU that we want to KEEP OUR money and not turn it over to people who don't have a clue about what money is for. The greed is yours.

If you believe so much in the government then you should donate all your assets to Washington, work for the state and accept nothing in return except room and board....then maybe stand in line hours at a time for toilet paper.

Maybe if all the socialist/communist/liberals would take the same approach mentioned above the rest of us could enjoy a life free of your oppressive beliefs

-- maddjak (maddjak@hotmail.com), September 16, 1999.

Mary,

I am a native Washingtonian and i'm not from California.

Republicans complaining about not having enough money? In government or at home? The basic idea is that Republicans want the people to spend their own money, and the Democrats want to spend everyone elses.

Why do you insist on spending my money? I can do that fine myself. If i feel that someone has a valid need, and i have the resources to help, then i will help.

I have definitely noticed one thing about myself... when i have extra money... i help people.... why does the money have to go through the government... all the time being filtered for "administrative" costs...

There are too many people who "assistance" who do not "need" it. If you need some examples, let me know.

- Allan

-- Allan (ae_me@yahoo.com), September 16, 1999.

The problem is, Mary, that you have no faith in the people to make the right decision for themselves. You would rather impose a tax to collect from people than let them give the money of their own free will. That is truely sad.

- Allan

-- Allan (ae_me@yahoo.com), September 16, 1999.

I have an old Chrysler on its last leg that I paid $750 for. Last year the tabs were almost $200. The GREED of which you speak is on the part of the government, not taxpayers like me...

-- Jennifer Loveless (jennh@u.washington.edu), September 16, 1999.

My husband has a "1989" Chevy p/u that costs $540/yr. on tabs. Does that sound like spending too much money on a car and now complaining about the tabs? What are we supposed to drive rolling buckets of rust?

-- caroline morgan (celtic266@aol.com), September 16, 1999.

Mary Jo -- The state budget this next biennium will be $45,200,000,000 dollars, up from $40,800,000,000 in the last biennium; an increase of $4.4 billion or 11%. I-695 will decrease revenues by ONLY $1.1 billion, Mary Jo. That will hardly bankrupt the state. Those who oppose I-695 are using scare tactics, not facts. The next time someone tells you that if I-695 passes, you will lose services, roads, ferries, social services, etc, ask them for the proof and watch them flounder.

-- Lynn M Stuter (lmstuter@icehouse.net), September 17, 1999.

Caroline

You ask What are we supposed to drive rolling buckets of rust? . You must have seen what these people are driving. They go around spouting off about the environment, protecting the children, screaming at people who smoke, yet these are the same ones who ride buses (which pollute more then cars and are a worse carcinogen then cigarettes), advocate abortion (just a lump of mass), and puffing on their bong pipes.

Also on the topic of hypocrites, will Timothy McViegh get a Presidential pardon in 15 years like the terrorist from Puerto Rico.

Yet were the evil ones for wanting to keep some of the money we earn.

BTW Mary Jo I came to this state from California when I was 10. I am now 41, so I hope I can call myself a Washingtonian. Or is that still not long enough for you. Also I buy a new car because I want to. I dont need it, but I want it. If youre jealous that someone can afford a new car and you cant tuff. Get a better paying job, or quit crying about it.

Neither you nor anyone else in this state is going to tell me what type of car I have to buy with my money. Notice I said MY MONEY. Not the states money or your money.

Have a nice day thinking of your little perfect world. Where all of us are monitored day and night by the govenement.

-- Ed (ed_bridges@yahoo.com), September 17, 1999.

Jennifer- One question, how did you pay $200 in tabs when your car is registered with the dept of motor vehicles as being worth $750?

-- aaron c. (calavo@hotmail.com), September 17, 1999.

"Those who oppose I-695 are using scare tactics, not facts. The next time someone tells you that if I-695 passes, you will lose services, roads, ferries, social services, etc, ask them for the proof and watch them flounder." Lynn M Stuter (lmstuter@icehouse.net), September 17, 1999.

Look at the WWW.no-i-695.com site, at the impacts section. It has the local revenue losses projected by county, and each city in the county. And those are just the direct MVET losses. It does not include the end to the inflation and new construction increases that are needed to maintain the current sevice level of local government. I know you don't want to admit that these tax "increases" are necessary to keep up with inflation and growth, but they are. If government can't increase revenue with inflation, it is a revenue loss in "constant value dollars."

PS. An 11% increase in the state budget over a TWO YEAR period, with the growth in this state, is just about what I would expect is necessary. The state has a little more than it needs for current expenses, in the state reserves; but that is necessary to get through the next econonomic downturn. Anyone remember the 70's around here?

-- dbvz (dbvz@wa.freei.net), September 17, 1999.

Sorry, this one has the county revenue losses, by city:

http://home.earthlink.net/~thekaj/NoOn695.html

-- dbvz (dbvz@wa.freei,net), September 19, 1999.