Tag Archives: Inslee

Inslee’s restrictions on Capitol Campus are hypocritical, says Fortunato

Security remained tight at the state Capitol for yesterday’s opening of the 2021 legislative session. The Capitol Campus was fenced off from the public over the weekend after demonstrators had trespassed onto the grounds of Gov. Jay Inslee’s official residence Jan. 6. The governor also had called hundreds of armed National Guard and police to be present, effectively preventing other protests or demonstrations.

State Sen. Phil Fortunato, R-Auburn, condemned the recent incident at the governor’s private residence but called the response unnecessary and hypocritical.

“The people have a right to access their government, to protest, or be present for the deliberations of the Legislature,” said Fortunato. “Shutting ‘the people’ out when they have a right to be here is an affront to the democratic process, plain and simple. The governor’s response is unnecessary for what turned out to be a handful of protesters.

“Erecting fences to keep the public out and meeting them with an armed presence is just hypocritical considering how portions of the largest city in our state were taken over by armed protesters this summer. Remember how those events resulted in murders yet the whole uprising was ‘news to him.’ There was no such presence when far-left demonstrators have disrupted the Capitol Building. Now taxpayers, who pay legislators’ salaries, cannot access their government. It’s unacceptable.”

Raiding state’s rainy-day fund is ‘stupid but not unconstitutional’

State Sen. Phil Fortunato is disappointed that Gov. Jay Inslee’s supplemental budget proposal seeks to raid the state’s constitutional rainy-day fund to the tune of over $300 million. Fortunato, R-Auburn made this statement regarding how the governor’s proposal could leave Washington vulnerable in the event of an economic downturn.

“In 2018 the state had a significant surplus yet the Legislature’s new Democrat majority diverted $700 million from the Budget Stabilization Account,” said Fortunato. “The state treasurer pleaded with them to not set that ‘dangerous precedent.’ Now Inslee wants to tap the savings account even more. It’s like the brother-in-law who borrows $700 million and says he’ll pay you back by borrowing another $300 million. When will the taxpayers get their billion dollars back?

“The rainy-day fund is supposed to be safeguarded in the event of an emergency or economic downturn.  Even though the state’s coffers are bursting at the seams with taxpayer money, due in large part to federal tax cuts and deregulation, the governor want to break the piggy bank and spend even more? It is, to quote Justice Scalia, stupid but not unconstitutional. When is enough, enough?

“The reality is the state’s budget is so bloated that even the sizable reserves in the treasury won’t last long in the event of a downturn. For that reason, withdrawing anything is a wrong move. We need smart policies to address our state’s homelessness situation, not the governor’s approach of throwing more good money after bad.”

New capital gains disaster in Connecticut a warning for Washington, Fortunato says

Gov. Jay Inslee and his fellow Democrats are pressing the Washington Legislature to adopt a new income tax on capital gains, but before they go any further, they might want to check with their colleagues in the Connecticut General Assembly, says Sen. Phil Fortunato, R-Auburn.

A brand-new $1.8 billion budget disaster in that state is the direct result of a capital gains income tax – almost exactly like the tax Democrats are proposing here.

“We couldn’t have asked for a better-timed warning,” Fortunato observed. “Those who think an income tax on capital gains is a good idea are ignoring its volatility. Or else they understand the danger full well — and they are counting on it.

“By backing the state into a corner they might be able to force Washington to adopt a broader income tax that would hit every taxpayer in the state.”

Connecticut officials revealed April 28 that plummeting revenues from that state’s tax on capital gains income have left an enormous hole in their budget. Connecticut’s taxes are weighted toward the rich. But in 2016, the rich didn’t sell as many stocks as the state expected – so projected capital gains tax collections fell 8.9 percent. Connecticut now must raise hundreds of millions of dollars in a hurry, and flummoxed legislative leaders say they may have no choice but to raise income-tax rates for everyone.

“Democrats in Connecticut are already talking about jacking up taxes on the middle class,” Fortunato said. “Least shocking news ever.”
The budget disaster in the Nutmeg State has direct implications for Washington. This is one of just seven states that does not impose an income tax. Washington voters have repeatedly rejected an income tax, nine times since 1934, frustrating advocates of higher taxes and spending. Now Gov. Jay Inslee and his fellow Democrats are taking a different tack, proposing a narrow type of income tax, on capital gains income, and claiming that it would only affect the rich.

“That’s what they said in Connecticut, too,” Fortunato warned. “The income tax was supposed to bring stability to state government and make the rich pay more. But this crisis in Connecticut shows how foolish it is to balance your budget on a relative handful of people.
“Eventually, a downturn will turn the money spigot off. When that happens, politicians will head straight for the pockets of the little guy. That’s why I proposed a constitutional amendment to ban income taxes in this state.”

For more information:
WTNH-TV (New Haven, Conn.), April 28, 2017: Income tax revenue collapses; Malloy says taxing the rich doesn’t work
New Haven Register, May 1, 2017: Drop in income tax receipts plunge Connecticut’s budget further into deficit
Connecticut Mirror, May 2, 2017: House speaker: Deficit too great to rule out income tax hike