Bringing Back the Priorities of Government Budget

Dear Friends,

Two weeks ago I posted the reason why a constitutional amendment is necessary to make the 2/3 majority permanent in Washington. The next step to stabilize the state budget is equally important; to bring back the Priorities of Government Budget (POG) model.

"It is not an arrogant government that chooses priorities, its an irresponsible
government that fails to choose."

                                                             -Tony Blair

There has been no discernable process for budgeting for the better part of a decade under the current balance of leadership. The OFM website says that the POG model is still utilized; however there is little evidence of it's practice. Leaders in Olympia have failed to identify priorities and then bring those into public view. Stabilizing the budget will allow for the private sector to plan for capital investments and decisions in hiring. More importantly, it creates a foundation for the discussion around what it means to fund education first. And finally, it will give the assurances to our citizens who rely on the safety net, that their needs will be predictably met.

The Will To Set Priorities, Not Labor On Complexities

The POG approach is effective because by inquiring about what results the citizens of Washington expect from our government. Then it considers the most effective strategies for achieving those results, how spending is prioritized, and then how progress will be measured. It attaches relevance to performance information as it relates to the budget, introduces consideration of statewide strategies as opposed to sanctioning silos; all while characterizing the state budget by articulating activities and results.

If this kind of approach sounds equally good, and yet unfamiliar; the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard agreed. They made this model a finalist in 2005 for its Innovation in Government Award. It will take a change in the balance of power for it to make a return to Washington, and I promise to be a strong voice to do just that.

My opponent's solution for stabilizing the budget is articulated on his website. It appears that he suggests that we can balance the budget by attacking me. With the sheer volume of misleading statements and negativity toward me coming out of his campaign, you would think he was making run at balancing the Federal Budget. Solutions are what voters want in this election, and Olympia. After all, we're all in this together. 

Thanks for reading.