Spokane7
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March 9, 2010 in City
Gregoire spurns Otter’s ‘love letter’
OLYMPIA – Gov. Chris Gregoire jabbed back at her Idaho counterpart Tuesday over whose state is better for business.
Washington got a better rating in Forbes Magazine for being business-friendly and doesn’t have a personal or corporate income tax, Gregoire said during a press conference.
Idaho Gov. Butch Otter began this exercise in gubernatorial smack talk Monday, posting a “love letter” to businesses in Washington and Oregon. He invited them to move to his state to avoid taxes that voters raised in the latter and the Legislature is likely to raise in the former.
In Washington, both the House and Senate have passed bills raising taxes and dropping some incentives for businesses, although the two proposals have vast differences in the types of taxes, and significant disagreement on the amount to raise. This may cause them to miss Thursday’s deadline for ending the short session.
Idaho has a nice, stable tax system, Otter wrote: “Predictable tax and regulatory policies are what our employers need in order to maintain their operations through this rough patch.”
Gregoire’s rejoinder: “We’re second-best in Forbes, they went from seventh to eleventh.” And while she professed to not being an expert on Idaho, she was pretty sure they had taxes which Washington doesn’t have, such as the corporate profits tax and a graduated income tax.
She didn’t mention one tax Washington has but Idaho doesn’t, the business and occupation tax on gross receipts.
She said she hadn’t talked to Otter about his letter. “I have a call in to him today.”
Trying to recruit businesses from another state is “fair game,” but suggesting there’s a massive tax increase going on in Washington is not, Gregoire said.
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Albert on March 09 at 2:10 p.m.
Governor G had better wake up and is obviously not in tune to what is about to transpire. Washington’s B&O tax is a corporate tax under another heading. Governor Otter is in tune and is making a very significant move to attract additional revenues into his state. This is not a joke folks. Spokane business will, as we have been discussing in the past few days, lose revenue to Idaho because of the 3+% sales tax savings. If I had a business in Spokane, then rest assured, I would be seriously consider taking Mr. Otter’s invitation to relocate. If Governor Otter throws in some “relocation incentives”, the business exodus from Washington could be substantial. Governor Chrissy needs to wake up - not to mention our bloated Olympic representatives who have absolutely no clue as to reality.
soccermomsusie on March 09 at 3:29 p.m.
You are right Albert!
Just because we are ranked far better than Idaho, as a state to have a business in, means nothing. It’s like saying a baseball team that won the world series is better than a baseball team that hasn’t won any games. I say tell me whose coach is more conservative, whose coach likes to tea party more, whose coach is more like Glenn Beck and I would say that was the best baseball team.
Thank God we have smart people like you in Spokane writing such insightful comments so businesses will know how well-educated and smart our labor pool is!
I would just as soon they raise my property taxes so high that I am in the poor house before I would want to have corporations pay more taxes. God put them in charge of us. It is His will.
Thankfully, Spokane has no B and O tax. It is my pleasure to pick up the tab for businesses! I know they are good people because their commercials tell me so. Avista even gave me some free lightbulbs!
Keep up the great work, Albert!! I want to hear more of your ideas!
soccermomsusie on March 09 at 3:30 p.m.
Oh Albert, I just noticed your picture. Very nice. I miss President Bush too.
cowboy on March 09 at 3:44 p.m.
She is just trying to blow smoke. There is a massive tax increase coming in Washington on everything not just business. And if she has anything to do with it we will have a State income tax before we know it.
As long as Gregoire and the likes of Lisa Brown are in office taxes will steadily go up.
Idaho will become the pop, gum, candy, cigarette, liquor, water, and services capital of the west.
soccermomsusie on March 09 at 3:58 p.m.
“Idaho will become the pop, gum, candy, cigarette, liquor capital of the west.”
Cowboy, a capitol point. You are right. We had our chance. Sigh.
Darn that Lisa Brown and Gregoire! The solution is simple. Let’s not have any taxes. Let’s only provide the services that I want. God will provide if we are faithful and believe.
I am not that up on policy stuff or politics. All I know is Democrats - Bad, Republicans - Good! I hope everyone doesn’t study this stuff too deeply and goes to the tea parties! We will win again! I wish President Bush could be our governor.
empyrius on March 09 at 4:10 p.m.
susie
Running on all cylinders today are we wonderful!!!
hmoffsuite on March 09 at 4:58 p.m.
The State of Washington didn’t get the wake up call with the loss of Boeing and then Food Services America. They keep penalizing businesses any way they can get away with, and this thinking is going to get the State in real trouble. Worse than the present, and its bad. They used California for their role model and they got what they wished for.
soccermomsusie on March 09 at 5:48 p.m.
Yes homffsuite. You are right. Look at how well Idaho is doing with their give everything to corporations that they want policy. It has paid off for them by letting their corporate masters control the show like God wants them to!
flutieflakes on March 09 at 7:17 p.m.
“It’s like saying a baseball team that won the world series is better than a baseball team that hasn’t won any games.”
I would wager that the New York Yankees could beat Charlie Brown’s baseball team, but I guess we’ll never know for sure, because they aren’t in the same league.
catbox on March 09 at 8:04 p.m.
soccermomsusie - your ignorance is showing. Better drop off the kids at your kids at the cheap daycare, pop a couple more mothers-little-helpers, glass of wine, maybe. turn off your mothers computer.
At counseling tonight, ask your therapist why you can not converse well with other business men and entrepreneurs in the Spokane area. Maybe it is because you haven’t been in the job market since baby sitting your sister. You sound like you have been traumatized. Maybe a try a forum where no common scene thinkers are present. Try one with unicorns.
BTW, I will be canceling your vote when Gregoire is up for re-election. What a ratbag.
Albert is right.
soccermomsusie on March 10 at 7:02 a.m.
Jess Huge, I hope that therapy will work for you, and you will vote against Gregoire like me.
I am glad you like unicorns, but you shouldn’t do bad things with them. It is against the Bible. Hopefully therapy will work for you and you will give the unicorns and their horns a break.