Free Republic

Budget gimmicks used to raise spending limitOLYMPIA—At a March 24 House Appropriations hearing on Governor Gregoire's 2005 "emergency" supplemental budget, Rep. Eileen Cody (D) acknowledged that Democrats were pursuing budget gimmicks in order to artificially increase the voter-approved I-601 spending limit.In Gregoire's $219 million 2005 "emergency" supplemental budget, the governor transfers $45 million from the general fund to the Health Services Account. But Gregoire then plans to transfer $86 million from the Health Services Account to the general fund in her 2005-07 budget. This budget shell game artificially increases the I-601 spending limit. This means that the people will not...