This morning, I fired out this missive to The Oregonian. In response to front-page article today.
http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2008/12/kulongoski_proposes_big_jump_i.html
I get Governor Kulongoski’s fee increases to pay for his budget. Sure I do. In this down-turning economy, how in the world would government get the money to fund their precious agencies otherwise? Rep. Bruce Hanna claims he wants to make the fee increases “transparent.” Fine as well, but Hanna lives not in the real world either.
In this high echelon of government, the elites still use semantics and politicking to get their way and feed their pockets. The Democratic leader and the Republican spokesman share little differences in their approach, even though both rather enjoy finger-pointing.
In this economic climate, why doesn’t the state government eliminate agencies rather than penalize hobbyists, outdoorsmen, and professionals by charging them even more excessive fees for licensure? I don’t care if new revenue comes in the form of taxes or fees; such increases are unnecessary and unwise. Money in the hands of the citizens stimulates an economy. Taking money from those who need and earned it in order to pad the coffers of inefficient government agencies is foolish.
In this day when we worship at the Keynesian altar and use a wet-finger for “bailouts,” Kulongoski should take the lead and retrench from all of this. Nickel-and-diming me on one end (fishing licenses) and gouging me on the other (vehicle registration) is no way to win friends. He cares not about this … no longer in the market to win voters, but in the ill-conceived business of meliorism.
