Article by WashingtonStateWire. Published on Wednesday, November 09, 2011 EST.

Fascinating vote returns, or vote counts. Finally, we get the state out of the booze business. I live in a very rural area. Both of my hootch shops are contract stores. The stores are actually gift shops with little piles of hard booze in the corner. The operators are convinced that since they are less than 10K feet (like 200 feet) they will be out of business. We’re checking on that. It’s forty-five minutes to a 10K foot store from here. I asked folks last night at a potluck, we have lots of potlucks up here, if they were concerned about having to drive into Shelton or Port Townsend to get some buzz juice. Most, I’m serious, most told me it was no bother to them, they buy their booze in California or Nevada on the way back from winter breaks and seldom visit the local little stores. Evidently booze is half price at Costcos in California and Nevada as the story goes. It’s the tax. One guy said he saves enough to pay for his diesel to run his motor home back and forth to Arizona. (that’s both a lot of diesel and a lot of booze) I guess this is another story….anyway. Congrats to the 1-1183 gang.

If you live in Tacoma you can puff the ganja with a little relief. It is, as of last night, the lowest level of enforcement for the police. That should save a lot of money for the city.

And in Seattle where we thought they never met a tax they didn’t like they told Mayor McBike to take a hike, or a ride, or go away. Hissoner’s $60 car tab fee to pay for almost anything but roads for cars, went down in flames. This opens the door even further for a level headed candidate to run against mayor McAnti-Car. I wish Murray would jump in there, anyway.

As the legislature chews down the last bite of Turkey and heads to Oly to, to, to do what ever it is they will do it’s hard to say if they feel emboldened by the vote last night. Frankly, it seems if local communities know about the need, they stepped up to tax themselves (reasonably) to pay for it. There weren’t a lot, but a bunch of local proposals passed. While saying “no” to the tab fee, Seattle voters said “yes” to the Families and Education Levy that doubles the city’s investment in schools and adds an average of $59 to Seattle property-tax bills. Kitsap county lost one, and Clark county city had one go down and few other little towns got bumped, but in the core populace areas, Seattle/Tacoma the folks taxed themselves (minus the car tab debacle). So for those looking for new money, new taxes, you might have a chance.

And, again, the legislature must decide if it pays for the training and policing of folks who care for the elderly. Can they say, “Thanks but no thanks”, again?

Yep, go ahead and vote yes on taxes during a lagging recession, and then run for office in a few months. Sure, go ahead.

It’s going to be tough, and it’s going to be a test of courage. Cuts are on the agenda for sure, but where do the new or increased taxes come in?

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