Will You Fast And Pray With Me?

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

2 Chronicles 7:14

Starting now until the polls close on Tuesday night. Will you join me?

More On That Quitting Quitter

That would be Jay Inslee.

Check out this video from the WSRP.

Meanwhile, State Attorney General Rob McKenna is busy fulfilling the obligations of his elected office, despite the rather serious hindrance to his campaign. Which, it appears, the Democrats are busy milking to Inslee’s advantage.

Jay Inslee: Not Even Empty Promises

Jay Inslee announced his 2012 gubernatorial bid on June 27th, 2011. By my calculations, that was four months ago, yet a quick visit to his website turns up a short announcement video, a placeholder for a graphic with a broken link and buttons to click if you want to follow him on Facebook or Twitter. You can also make a donation, but even that’s not easy; you have to click on the Al Gore event button.

Yes, this is the sum total of Jay Inslee's campaign website.

In contrast, Rob McKenna’s website is bursting with information.

Even Shahram Hadian, a long shot, first time candidate has a better website than Inslee.

You have to wonder, does Inslee have any vision at all for Washington, other than it would be really cool to be governor? Does he have an in-depth understanding of the issues facing our state? Does he have any ideas for solving them? Does he even care?  Heck, at this point, I’d almost be willing to settle for knowing he has a vague idea of what some of the issues are.

Inslee is running his campaign like (a) a rank amateur or (b) he believes he’s so sure to be elected that he doesn’t need to try very hard. Inslee is nothing if not a shrewd politician so I’m going with (b); it dovetails nicely with his arrogant, condescending demeanor.

Why Does Jay Inslee Hate Public Employees?

That’s the only explanation for his scheme to plunder the State pension system to invest in green industries.

I’ve always considered Jay Inslee to be something of a one trick pony – green jobs all the way, baby! Even so, I was shocked when I heard his plan to risk the financial future of thousands of public employees to finance his pet agenda. Given the fact that it’s recently been revealed that the State pension system is underfunded by $50 billion, his proposal is not only moronic,  but shockingly reckless as well

Face it…it’s not as though Inslee has proven to be the Green Oracle. Lori Sotelo, writing at Northwest Daily Marker, has complied a list of Inslee’s failures to accurately predict market place winners and losers. Even the Seattle Times Editorial Board, who rather confusingly endorsed Inslee in 2010, notes that the plan “abounds with unnecessary risk.”

One almost has to wonder if Inslee is even peripherally aware of the monumental issues our state faces.

Paul Ryan On Green Jobs

Everyone should read this piece by Paul Ryan on The Empty Promise Of Green Jobs. Everyone should read it but people living in my home state of Washington should take care to memorize it point by point. It’s information we’ll need as Jay “Mr. Green Jobs” Inslee prepares to run for governor in 2012.

 

Why Is King County Stiffing The Taxpayers Over The West Seattle Water Taxi?

King County residents may remember that back in the fall of 2007 the  County Council approved a special property tax on all residents to support the creation of a Ferry District to fund the Vashon Island passenger ferry and year-round service for the West Seattle Water Taxi.

The Ferry District was sort of a pet project of King County Executive Dow Constantine when he sat on the Council. Constantine was so desperate to get the Ferry District off the ground that he allegedly pressured fellow Council members to vote for it by threatening to kill a separate tax aimed at funding flood control projects. (Don’t get me wrong, I’m all about killing taxes, but if I have to choose between a tax for foot ferries or a tax for flood control, I’m going with flood control.)

Now we learn from the Washington Policy Center that after having chosen to abandon its contract with Argosy Cruises and operate the West Seattle route directly, King County has managed to drive up costs nearly five times.

2009 (Argosy) op cost April-September: $692,814
2010 (King County) op cost April-September: $2,097,258

2009 (Argosy) ridership April-September: 189,302 trips
2010 (King County) ridership April-September: 138,706 trips

2009 (Argosy) cost per trip April-September: $3.66
2010 (King County) cost per trip April-September: $15.12*

*Note: Even with ridership at 2009 levels, the cost per trip for King County would still be $11.08.

A quick trip to the King County website tells us that the highest fare on the West Seattle route is $3.50, but many riders are likely paying less – sometimes much less.

Adults
$3.00 – ORCA fare
$3.50 – Cash or ticket fare

Seniors (65+) and persons with disabilities
$1.50 with a Regional Reduced Fare Permit. Fare applies to both cash and ORCA payment.

Youth (6-18)
$2.25 – ORCA Youth Card fare
$3.50 – Cash or ticket fare

Children (5 and under)
Free

So for the highest paying riders, residents in places like Enumclaw, Black Diamond, and Skykomish are footing the bill to a tune of $11.62 a pop. As opposed to $.16 if Argosy were still operating the route and charging the same fares.

I bring all this up just in case a run for the Governor’s mansion is in Dow Constantine’s future plans. At a time when our State is facing a budget crisis and with no guarantees that things will be much – if at all – improved by 2012, our Governor and State legislators need to be looking at all possible options to reduce costs. If Constantine pigheadedly insists on operating the Water taxi at a per trip cost to the taxpayers more than 72 times the cost if the route were being operated privately, why would anyone expect him to take a hard look for services that might be privatized at the State level?