Cascade Party

Taxes are increasing across the board, but our return for investing more into society is lackluster.

Olympia last session passed the largest tax increase in our state’s history.

There is a growing disconnect between what Washingtonians are paying for government and what we are actually getting in return. This gap is impossible to ignore when considering public safety.

We are facing a very real crisis in basic public safety. Pierce county has the lowest per capita sheriff’s deputies for any jurisdiction in the United States.

I live in Pierce County, north of the Narrows. Our area has lost the most deputies in our county. Officers leave to other jurisdictions offering higher pay and large bonuses.

Because of this shortage, priorities have shifted away from property crime. This has become noticeable.

Recently, I watched two people inside the Fred Meyer in Gig Harbor load up hand baskets with ribeye steaks. They casually walked out the main door.

I followed them and let the florist know, since she was closest to the exit. Her response was simple and telling. She said this happens all the time — and it’s the same all over Pierce.

The Fred Meyer at Pacific Avenue in Tacoma recently closed permanently, affecting over 200 workers and sparking concerns about creating a food desert. Parent company Kroger cited rising theft and regulatory costs as reasons for the closure as part of broader cuts in the region.

There’s more.

A friend of mine had their home burglarized not long after dealing with repeated porch piracy. In my own case, we had a package stolen that contained an EpiPen. That was not just an inconvenience. That was life saving medication.

These are not abstract policy debates. These are real impacts on real people.

Considering the rising cost of government — citizens and businesses deserve better.

Property taxes never go down. Rates might shift a little year to year, but the overall trend is easy to chart and impossible to deny. Tax bills go up, up, and up.

Consider this when our governor is proposing a new state income tax he claims will only affect certain high earners. Look at home values — many of us are millionaires on paper!

I am not arguing that taxes should never increase. We must see improvements to our quality of life to justify for ever growing public expenditures.

Washington voters are doubling down on national narratives, while losing sight of what is happening at home.

2020 was a pivotal year. Our state’s ruling party had moved away from traditional law enforcement to favor idealistic approaches administered through state-funded contractors.

Private groups receive tax dollars funding programs aimed at reducing big social problems. Unfortunately, data shows issues like homelessness, mental health challenges and chronic drug addiction with overdose death are increasing.

In spite of this fact, and the billions of public dollars spent, voters last November elected candidates who support this expensive, programmatic approach.

It’s the cliché about doing the same thing over and over to expect a different result.

Public spending on severe social problems has contributed to our state’s budget doubling over the last ten years.

Even in the course of increased spending, property crime is deprioritized, cases are not pursued and repeat offenders avoid accountability as they cycle through a system of agencies and non-profit providers.

Basic functions of government, especially law enforcement and the court system, have been squeezed as spending priorities shifted elsewhere.

We are told this is the new normal. It should not be.

The basics come first. We should be able to shop in a store without seeing laundry soap, deodorant, socks, and underwear locked behind glass.

We should not have to worry that a package delivered to our home, especially one containing critical medication, might disappear before we even know it arrived.

These are not luxury desires. They are baseline expectations.

Today, we are paying significantly more while getting significantly less for our tax money when it comes to the fundamentals of public safety and order.

If taxes increase, services should improve or at least be maintained across the board, not selectively abandoned.