It sounds good when a state representative submits a bill for a balanced budget like a Washington Republican lawmaker just has with House Joint Resolution 4202: Requiring a balanced budget.

Unless your state budget includes tax expenditures and all of the giveaways to corporations -- this is just one more way to take away from the poor and those in need. More than $1 trillion is given away every year by legislators at the local, state and federal level to corporations such as Walmart, the film industry and anyone who claims job creation. And they give these revenues away without means testing like they require of families in need to justify why they need food and housing.

RONDA EVANS, Kennewick