As Dino Rossi has campaigned for governor around Eastern Washington, he always has been quick to bring up the proverbial "Cascade Curtain," the metaphorical divide that so seemingly splits Washington state politically.
Many Washington voters would like to do more than metaphorically tear that curtain down, but with the recent release of his transportation "plan," Rossi appears to be holding up at least one end of the curtain.
Rossi's proposal is to spend $15.5 billion on transportation projects. Just $3 billion - or 15 percent - would be spent on eight projects east of the mountains.
If you subtract Spokane's north/south freeway from that figure, the total dwindles to $129 million spread across seven projects.
That comes to less than 1 percent of the total taxes proposed under Rossi's plan, leaving out 14 of the counties in Eastern Washington.
It doesn't take an east-sider long to figure out Rossi is trying to woo votes from the weary Puget Sound commuter at the expense of the weary Eastern Washington wallet.
What should be equally troubling for Eastern Washington taxpayers is how these westside projects would be funded.
To cover the costs of Rossi's transportation plan, taxes paid on new and used autos would be diverted. Traditionally these funds, like the state sales tax, are used within the general fund.
Under the Rossi plan, this would lead to cuts in education and other services normally included in the general fund.
With class sizes at Washington schools among the highest in the nation, and still near the bottom nationwide on funding, the notion is a backward step in our efforts to secure our kids quality health care and education. These things should be non-negotiable.
But what about the west side's transportation woes? The 1999 Blue Ribbon Commission on Transportation recommended that the Puget Sound area help cover the substantial costs of its significant transportation needs by raising local taxes.
The bipartisan commission concluded that relying on the entire state to foot Puget Sound's multibillion dollar bill was the wrong approach.
Last November, voters in King, Pierce and Snohomish counties turned down an $18 billion transportation plan (the Roads and Transit Plan), which would have raised local taxes to cover the costs of major highway and transit projects like the replacement of the Highway 520 floating bridge, widening of Interstate 405 (two projects Rossi proposes funding) and construction of light rail.
Additionally, Dino Rossi says he will sell bonds to help cover the cost of the Puget Sound-area projects included in his plan.
This means that for about 30 years, Eastern Washington would be paying interest and continued taxes for largely west side projects.
Traditionally, statewide taxes for transportation projects have been fairly evenly split. And while there is no doubt that troubling transportation issues plague the Puget Sound area, Rossi's plan disproportionately shifts those costs to Eastern Washington for political expediency.
Our kids and grandkids deserve better, and Eastern Washington's economy deserves better.
* Jim McCabe is a resident of Richland and writes at the website mccranium.org.
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