Washington Votes Forum

Perfect timing!  Let's expand government spending to create jobs that aren't supported by the market because they're not economically viable.

I think this is tied to the federal economic stimulus package - it could be a way to provide a strong platform for receiving funds from that account to improve our energy infrastructure, which would provide jobs.

See this quote -

"Furthermore, the legislature intends to establish an even stronger focus on skills for green jobs within existing education and

training funds, and to the maximum extent possible, allocate fundsreceived from any federal appropriation to the evergreen jobs account."

Watchingwaves, this is the kind of stupidity that shows why government's role in the economy must be limited! Our state's economy is in shambles because of government intervention in the housing market and overspending by this state's legislature!

It wasn't failure of business; it was another failure of government because governments are not equipped to "govern" the marketplace; the only thing they accomplish is more costs for the businesses and "advise" neither asked for or wanted because it is invariability wrong!

So-called "green jobs" cannot and will not put this state's economy "back on track"!!! Leave it alone ~ Business will take care of itself!

To the legislature: Go ahead and take the ill-gotten "stimulus" funds from the feds and pay down the state's debt that you, the legislature and the governor, created; then go home and leave the People alone!

You had better start listening to the People or you will not be there!

Federal funding exists for states that can show they have "green" job and education, training programs. This bill attempts to do that. It sets up standards for "green education" in "green jobs" and even helps identify "target populations" for these programs, such as dislocated workers. 

Clean energy technologies are one type of green technology that people can get educated and trained in, and the U.W. and WSU are to identify other types of technologies. 

I see this more of a research and development bill - let's see what new technology we can come up with that may make our future a little cleaner, cheaper and - the best of all - is domestically produced using American workers. hey, if it works - great. If not, we can at least say we tried - after all, Americans can always continue to outsource our labor and import our energy.  

groovyjoker, this is about more than "qualifying" for the stimulus money; it's about paying off the state deficit and getting this state's economy moving again. If this is offered as a "stimulus" then it is but another lie foisted on us by a federal government who thinks they can spend our way out of this recession!

For our legislature to create this research does little to nothing about improving our economy in a reasonable time and makes our state one of the thieves stealing from our grandchildren!

My wife and I are on fixed incomes because we retired ~ Our choice, but with the way the feds are spending money and the way our state legislature is helping them spend that money they do not have, we will see our retirement dissolve before our eyes with the hyper-inflation that will be here soon enough! Hyper-inflation because China is not going to continue to buy our debt with Treasury Notes while we continue to print more money; impose cap & trade, destroying the oil and natural gas industry; raise taxes on the rich, the people who actually make the investment which create jobs; and impose national health care on an already overburdened populace!

Our legislature needs to concern itself with the state's economy by staying out of businesses way so business can revive the economy!

But it is not going to happen because the majority of our legislators and our governor are of the same stripe as Obama ~ Spend more and it will work out somehow! But they cannot give you a reasonable answer what that "somehow" is!

I think you are talking about issues much larger than this bill is meant to address. Where in this bill did you get information that it will impose national health care on anyone?

That is why I prefaced my statement: " ...  this is more than ..." This state is so far in the red because of an irresponsible legislature and governor, they don't need to be looking for more ways to slow our economy down and spend us deeper into debt!

Anyone with common sense knows you must live within your means or you go bankrupt and if this legislature isn't reined in, we will leave our children a tremendous amount of debt!

When you have a legislature and governor figuring out ways to spend what they do not have and a federal government on a spending orgy, we, the People, must say enough is enough! If we do not, we are as guilty as they are!

"Green" jobs will come in time but they are not available yet and to wish it were so will not make it true! Accepting money that expands government and does nothing for the state's economy now, is irresponsible and not why we sent these people to Olympia!

That is why there will be protests in Olympia in March; I believe one of the dates is the 17th, but don't quote me on that ~ And there will be protests and marches throughout the state on April 15th. The People are rapidly becoming fed up with what's going on in Olympia and throughout the country!

This State would be in the Red no matter who was Govenor or in the legislature. Revenues have been lost from the license tabs and from sales tax. From what I heard Rep. Campbell say those amounted to almost $6 billion and the State would need to cut 20% across the board from the budget to balance. So the budget is not really a Dem and Rep issue but more people wanting to be given everything and wanting more. We want the services but don't want to pay for it... enough taxes already. I'm really concerned about paying my property taxes this month.