Spokane7
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April 8, 2011 in City
Protesters march through Capitol
Busload from Spokane joins demonstration against cuts
Protesters march inside the Capitol, in the hallways outside the House and Senate chambers Thursday in Olympia. All but one of sixteen people arrested were released.
(Full-size photo)(All photos)
OLYMPIA – Sixteen protesters were arrested in Washington’s Capitol outside the governor’s office Thursday in the third day of demonstrations over proposed cuts to state spending.
Fifteen, including three from Spokane, were cited for disorderly conduct and released a short time later. One was also cited for assaulting two Washington State Patrol troopers during the arrests, and jailed.
Karen Washington, a home health care worker from Spokane among the 15 cited and released, said she was part of a busload of protesters who came to Olympia in an effort to persuade legislators to end tax exemptions and collect more revenue rather than adopt an “all-cuts” budget that slashes programs.
The protesters streamed into the Capitol at lunchtime and marched through the halls outside the Senate and House chambers, chanting “Whose house? Our house” and “This is what democracy looks like.”
Washington said she was one of about 15 protesters who went into the House gallery during a floor debate on legislation in an attempt to talk to the representatives below. When the first protester stood to speak, the group was ordered out by state troopers but not arrested.
They went into the gallery because “we knew they wouldn’t be able to hear us” inside the House chambers, she said. The thick wooden doors and the marble-lined walls muffle the sounds inside.
Even legislators sympathetic to the protesters’ issues say it’s unlikely that any tax increase can muster the required two-thirds majority in both houses. But Rep. Timm Ormsby, D-Spokane, said the demonstrations taking place in the midst of budget debates “create a positive tension on the Legislature.” They also help the demonstrators make the connection between what’s happening in their lives and what’s going on in Olympia, he said.
About an hour after being ejected from the gallery, Washington stood in the stairwell outside the governor’s office. She said she and other protesters had talked to some individual legislators about calling for tax hikes rather than program cuts, but don’t feel like they’re making much headway: “The legislators listen and say, ‘Yes we know, but…’ There is no ‘but.’ This is about people.”
About that time, demonstrators began to crowd toward the governor’s office and Washington State Patrol Chief John Batiste ordered them to move back or face arrest. Washington joined other health care workers in the crowd, was arrested and was led away without incident.
Supermajority for taxes unconstitutional, judge rules 
berrybestfarm on April 08 at 6:50 a.m.
Unlike the federal budget our state budget must be balanced. We can all quibble over the details of what should and should not be cut. Our fellow citizens are asking that balancing the budget not be all cuts but include some revenue increases. They are not protesting the cuts per se. They are very reasonable in asking that the budget not be totally balanced on the backs of the poor and disabled—that everyone share in the pain. How could anyone object to this?
Dennis Patterson—Deer Park
ChefGus/ John Olsen on April 08 at 7:06 a.m.
Dennis… their number is legion ( the people lobbying for the balance board to be placed on the backs of the poor, mentally ill, and disabled veterans) John
Orphan on April 08 at 7:48 a.m.
Cut are happening at all levels, everyone is suffering, most of us in silence. The vocal minority are the ones that feel entitled to their piece of the pie and are generaly not contributing to the finances of our goverment. As a society we need to take care of the helpless the rest of us should be responsable for our selves and not expect help from the goverment. There are simply too many on the dole that should not be. Lets weed out the ablebodied and then maybe we will have enough money to take care of the helpless.
Orphan on April 08 at 7:57 a.m.
Cut are happening at all levels, everyone is suffering, most of us in silence. The vocal minority are the ones that feel entitled to their piece of the pie and are generaly not contributing to the finances of our goverment.
As a society we need to take care of the helpless the rest of us should be responsable for our selves and not expect help from the goverment. There are simply too many on the dole that should not be. Lets weed out the ablebodied and then maybe we will have enough money to take care of the helpless.
hawken on April 08 at 8:52 a.m.
berrybestfarm
The majority made it very clear in WA state, November past, “No New Taxes.”
Radicals have the right to peaceful protest, even when they have been defeated at the polls. NOT the commonplace, lawless riots, resulting in arrests, which we have seen previously in Wisconsin and now in Washington state.
Ninch on April 08 at 9:25 a.m.
Washington State still has quite a strong safety net for the poor and disabled even with the proposed cuts (e.g. housing vouchers instead of cash payments to disabled not covered by Social Security.) These protesters are too little too late and using the wrong venue to reduce cuts by increased taxes. It is like they have been totally disengaged from the state legislative process for the last decade. First of all they do not seem to have a clue about our tax system, especially that businesses pay a B&O tax on gross income. Exemptions include that those small businesses earning under $25K will have no B&O tax liability. So a home health care worker wants that exemption removed? Only because she does not have a clue about our state’s tax system or economic base.
MrNatural on April 08 at 11:44 a.m.
Hmmm…so we have a choice…cut taxes and revenues and suffer the decay and disenfranchisement of most human beings in this country or raise taxes to generate revenues and lower the national debt and fund the programs and policies that make this country better for most human beings. Boy that’s a tuffy alright…
Greed is ruining this nation…I imagine if there truly was a war effort going on the Republicans would hoard their wealth and make the poor buy the war bonds…
DickAdams on April 08 at 9:11 p.m.
No question the politicians are spoon feeding far too many. Get the dead beats off the dole and get a job. Maybe two jobs.