Gambling to help balance waning budget
Editor, The Times:
Gov. Chris Gregoire wants to add a new Keno game to help balance the budget [“Gregoire takes look at 4-minute Keno,” page one, Nov. 27]. The Washington Indian Gaming Association does not like this idea. I believe it is time for all people created equal to take effect.
I don’t think we need another way to gamble in Washington, we need to let the tribes become equal to the rest of us. The tribes are getting the benefits of being U.S. citizens, plus the benefits of being Native Americans. They have many exemptions that the rest of the U.S. citizens do not.
I think we should tax everyone equally and fairly to balance this budget. In policing other government agencies, double dipping has been caught and punished. The Times is constantly reporting bonuses, severance packages and mismanagement of our tax dollars.
It is time to bring the tribes of the United States into the 21st century with fair taxation for everyone, regardless of events that happened centuries ago, before our time.
— Lynette Mattarocci, Tacoma
We need a road to recovery
News of a $2.6 billion state budget deficit calls for smart action, rather than quick action [“Preserving programs of community value,” Opinion, editorial, Nov. 25]. The Legislature and governor need to take a balanced approach that puts both families and our state’s economy on the track to recovery as soon as possible.
Last year, the Legislature balanced the budget on the backs of the working poor, cutting basic services to the bone, not just trimming fat. If Washington wants to pull out of the recession any time soon, another all-cuts budget is not an option.
In a recession, the needs of working families grow, while the state has fewer resources to meet them. It’s time to identify resources to help struggling families and our economy weather this storm.
— Rebecca Kavoussi, Seattle