Rossi’s 2003 No-New-Taxes Budget:

Claim: Gregoire: “I inherited my opponent’s $2.2 billion deficit.”

Fact: This claim is false. First, Dino Rossi left the Senate to run for governor in December of 2003. Two supplemental budgets that increased spending were passed between the point Dino left and Gregoire took office. The state also lost two court cases that were lost in January of 2005, one regarding revenue collection on canned meat and the other over the Estate Tax. Ironically, these court cases were defended and ultimately lost by the office of the Attorney General, who at the time was Christine Gregoire.

Second, the incumbent relies on a budget forecast that was already months-old by the time she took office. By the time Gregoire was in office, revenues had increased and the deficit had been reduced by $150 million without her doing anything.

Third, and most importantly, by the time Gregoire did address what deficit was left, she did so in large part by increasing taxes by $500 million.

Newspapers dispute Gregoire’s claim:

“When lawmakers left Olympia in 2003, the immediate budget was balanced. Rossi left the Legislature to run for governor.

“In January 2004, officials predicted the next two-year budget - the one Gregoire ended up writing - would start off with a shortfall of about $1.06 billion.

“Deficit projections went up and down before Gregoire proposed her 2005 budget. At one point, the deficit was pegged at about $2.2 billion. But after that, the state got a surge of tax money. State documents say the Legislature dealt with a deficit of about $1.8 billion.”

(“Fact Checking the Wash. Govs race: Budgets, taxes,” Associated Press, 10/5/08)

“The projected deficit in December 2003 — a month after Rossi announced he was running for governor the first time — was about $1 billion for the 2005-07 budget.

“Several things happened after December 2003 to increase the shortfall.

“In 2004, after Rossi had left office to run for governor, the Legislature increased spending. Also that year, the cost to provide certain services, such as health care for the poor, rose.

“Then, in 2005, after Gregoire was elected, two state Supreme Court decisions — including a ruling that overturned the state estate tax — dug the hole even deeper.

“Add it all up and you get to the $2.2 billion deficit Gregoire blames on Rossi. However, most of it happened after he left office.”

(“The truth behind claims by Rossi, Gregoire,” Seattle Times, 10/5/08)

In 2003, Dino Rossi as chairman of the Senate Ways and Means Committee helped write a balanced budget that closed a multi-billion dollar budget gap without new taxes, while still protecting the most vulnerable.

How did he do it? With bipartisan support.

While attacks on Rossi’s work in 2003 will no doubt continue, the fact is that this budget was supported by Democrats and Republicans because of its protection of vulnerable citizens and essential services in the face of the largest dollar deficit in state history.

The following Democrats voted for Rossi’s budget:

Jean Berkey

Brian Blake

Judy Clibborn

Jeanne Edwards

Bill Eickmeyer

Dennis Flannigan

Bill Fromhold

Jeff Gombosky

Bill Grant

Brian Hatfield

Ross Hunter

Ruth Kagi

Phyllis Kenney

Lynn Kessler

Pat Lantz

Kelli Linville

John Lovick

Jim McInitre

Jeff Morris

Ed Murray

Al O’Brien

Dave Quall

Phil Rockefeller

Sharon Tomiko Santos

Helen Sommers

Deb Wallace

Frank Chopp

It was signed by Democrat Governor Gary Locke

Read these news stories from 2003 that praised the work of Rossi’s 2003 budget, and decide for yourself.

• Budget writer thrives in legislative hothouse

(5/12/2003 Seattle Times)

• A lean budget for tough times

(6/3 Seattle PI)

• Spending less sooner is better

(2/7/2003 Seattle PI Editorial)

• Washington Roundtable Supports Senate Budget Approach; Applauds Efforts to Protect Economy and Encourage Job Creation

4/3/2003 Business Wire

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