More on taxes from Gov. Gregoire

While Gregoire was answering questions about taxes, Pete Callaghan from The News Tribune chimed in. Gregoire had said that she wasn’t sure whether tax increase votes (or tax loophole eliminations) would be taken to voters. She said she wouldn’t be boxed in.

But Callaghan said taking tax votes to the public wouldn’t be practical — it would require a wait to get on the ballot, and the big chance that voters would reject the increases, which would create a bigger problem.

She said to reporters, “He just answered your question.”

She said she’s been as specific as she can be today.

A TV reporter asked if she could address criticism that her budget was a worst-case scenario, meant to scare people into accepting tax increases.

“I sure can. To those that say that, you come show me a budget that cuts $2.6 billion. I don’t know of anything that has three digits that hasn’t been cut,” she said. “I am trying to tell people the truth. Let there be no mistake, this is not about scare tactics. I don’t believe in it. I’ve seen it done in another administration at the federal level. I don’t believe in it … this budget was done as thoughtfully as could be done. There was no discussion whatsoever about, How can we scare people? … this is the only way that we could come up with a balanced budget,” she said.

Tags: Gregoire, taxes