Thirty Day special session being called by the governor

As some might not know, I had the unfortunate distinction of being someone who has to depend on the government to stay alive. It is not by choice nor is it fun. If there was a way that I could get off, stay healthy and lead a normal life, I'd be there in a heart beat.

During the last go-around a year ago, the state legislature had to cut somewhere in the neighborhood of 6 billion dollars from the general fund and other priorities. They have also instituted closing of prisons, cutting heavily in to social services at many different levels and education, parks and recreation. It was sad for me to see that this had to happen. But with any common sense application, we were down 6 billion dollars and the cuts had to come from somewhere.

I won't play the blame game there. There are news media, state and local blogs, forums and other places to hash out the lastest rumor, fact or fiction that will have to happen soon.

The next step I do believe and my own opinion, that is going to happen is a huge and serious cut in medicaid, cutting off the full basic health plan, serious cuts in education and other big spending priorities that have come through the past legislative mandates. I also suspect that maybe a ferry or two is going to have to be held off, higher fees for basic recreation or choice options like state parks, even if they are allowed to remain open.

Both three parties are coming together, the independent, democrats and republicans to agree on a framework fo what they feel is going to need to happen in this special 30 day session so every single day session is not wasted on bickering, political posturing and sideswipes for no good or apparant reason. Nothing could be worse than emulating the US congress-of-the usual do nothings.

And to me, I do not see the ability to cut 2 billion dollars without a tax increase.
Now I have hurt some really good proposals from my political friends in here in Clark County. One has suggested opening up the contracts and giving the unions an ultimatum, this is what the state can do and if you don't like it, that is what there is. Basically have them take a pay cut or face mass firings.

*IF* there is a tax increase or a series of them to benefit certain sections, I want it to be temporary and targeted! Nothing is worse than just continually believing through lack of common sense that taxes aren't going to need to be raised to pay for BASIC services. That means NO free trips to the piggy bank trough for wasted political bureaucratic messarounds now.

I do believe that education needs to take its fair share of cuts, even if there is a decades old constitutional amendment making the paramount duty of state government to fully fund our students from kindergarten through College and beyond. Whether you or I like it, I do believe we cannot live in a political fantasy world anymore.

I want every single common sense idea from the our states citizens communicated to your legislatures. And with the new redistricting plan based on census and other data, coming forth and into fruition, it is more in need than ever for us to communicate with them what we feel is the more important and priorities of state government. I bet there are great solutions around our community in how to save further resources at ALL levels? I am repeatedly reminded every single day how good this community is for its citizens. We stand up, we charge and we take charge of the problems facing us. And if a political foe decides they want to be a barrier to our wishes, needs and desires? Hell, they are voted out of office.

I personally believe it is time for my generation of X, Y and Z born in the 1960 to 80s need to start standing up and communicating our needs! I am not going to slam, blam the bridge, baseball stadium or the biomass plant based on borrowed bonds or private funds or tolls. There are a number of good blogs in Clark County covering this issue!

But what I do not SEE is my generation stepping up and taking over from our grandparents and previous generations? Come on folks, it is time for us to step up and smell the coffee roasts!!!

Kiggins Theater. :)

If you are an officinado of Vancouver or old theaters, the Kiggins has been refurbished and is now open. If you would like to know more, please visit: Kiggins Theater of Vancouver Washington.

Swish down the frail lines

So I just got back from a 20 hour train ride from San Jose California to Portland and there were a few others with children that were going to go on to Seattle. All I can say is it takes some fortitude to ride a train that long with a child!

Amtrak coast starlight had some nice skyshows on the trip down. I got to stay up 15 hours until I got off at Sacramento, California to meet up with others. There was also the dancing jig waiter in the evening parlour tricks, the bar was nice to chat with other riders and finally, had an excellent chat with the cafe staff (where you can get more service and shorter lines. Most of the parlour eating is by reservations and may be some wait on the trains of up to one or two hours after the meal time.)

I cannot thank enough to each one of my fellow passengers to whom I owe so much for the fun. I should note that trains are NOT for the squeemish, the time sensitive ~ stuckupwads or for those whom have sensitivities to being closed in a metal raptures flying down rails at very NICE speeds. :) Or is that the same as riding in an aluminum tube tens of thousands of feet in the air?

Each coast starlight coach section usually handles about 100 passenger seats. And there tends to be several of those on each train. So I would not be suprised if there was not 1,000 people on each train along the Los Angeles to Seattle train loop. From my own hand calculations, I believe there are about six trains circulating and one of them is hitting either end point once a night.

So if my rough calculations are near correct, there might be 5,000 people riding anyone time per day on these trains and this is just one loop of main trains in the United States.

So if you are looking for a nice, little vacation away from the nagging mother, (maybe send her on a one way ticketed trip? joke!) to get away from the hussle and bussle, this might be an interesting choice/option for you and that significant other.