Punting on pensions

In 1998, the Washington state Legislature sweetened employee pensions through a program called gain-sharing.

Under this scheme, when the pension fund experiences above-market-average returns, the overage is converted into permanent increases in benefits.

It’s no coincidence that this scheme was hatched while the stock market was riding high.

But as always, the bull turned into a bear, and the state’s pension fund developed a $4 billion shortfall. About $900 million of that was attributed to gain-sharing.

Several lawmakers have called for repealing gain-sharing because it doesn’t pay for itself.

The Legislature skirted the issue this session. It can’t afford to do so next year.

Park and override

When Washington state imposed a $5 parking fee at state parks three years ago, it went over like a skunk in a pup tent.

But it was going to raise about $5 million a year the park system needed.

Now the unpopular fee is being dropped, at a cost of merely $3 million a year.

The less-than-anticipated collection may have something to do with a 20 percent drop in state park use after the fee was adopted.

Washington lawmakers soothed irate constituents this year by halting the parking charge as of April 1. Park officials did them one better.

They’ve already stopped enforcing the program.

Forget the common wisdom. Even though they don’t have to face the voters, some bureaucrats can be as responsive to public repudiation as elected legislators.

Targeted tax relief

Idaho should have fewer exemptions to the 5 cent sales tax, not more. But that didn’t stop the Legislature from approving another one Wednesday – for shooting range fees and membership dues.

So, why is a gun club different from, say, a non-exempt golf club?

Well, it just is, said Sen. Gerry Sweet, R-Meridian, in response to that exact question from Majority Leader Bart Davis, R-Idaho Falls.

Apparently, gun clubs deserve an exemption because their firearms education is “a great public benefit.”

Sweet’s words, not ours.

There’s a bigger issue here, however. Lawmakers perennially ignore calls to re-examine the dozens of exemptions the state already has, and they continue to approve new ones for groups that can collar legislators to do their bidding.

State Sen. Dick Compton, R-Coeur d’Alene, voted his heart rather than his loyalty in siding with the minority in the 27-8 vote in favor of the exemption, according to Spokesman-Review blogger Betsy Russell.

Then, Compton explained, he isn’t running for re-election, so he doesn’t have to worry about “who’s going to send out a letter against you.”

What a sorry way to conduct state business.