Partner benefits unaffordable

Washington state is facing an $8 billion deficit through government mismanagement of our tax dollars and Gov. Gregoire’s calling for massive budget cuts. On the chopping block are such programs as supervision of criminal offenders; suspending Initiatives 732 and 728 increasing teacher’s salaries and reducing class size; funding for math/science education and teacher training, plus tuition assistance for continuing education, help for troubled youth and many other programs. Taken together, these programs help a significant number of residents.

Now, legislators are preparing to throw gasoline on our financial meltdown by introducing HB 1727 and SB 5688 to further increase state spending. These laws would allow all benefits of marriage for registered domestic partners. According to SB 5674 there are 32,000 registered partners in Washington, while we have 6.5 million residents. That is less than 0.5 percent of the state population yet the legislators want to spend an additional $16 million on this minute percentage. Whether you agree or disagree with the principles behind these bills, this isn’t the time to increase spending, especially with all the cuts in important areas of our state budget. Contact your legislator, (800) 562-6000, to stop the squandering of our tax dollars to special-interest groups.

Steven Neill

Spokane