I read with interest the Jan. 5 story “Definition of a budget cut hard to pin down.” I think the question is balancing the budget, not budget cuts. Besides living within our means is the further question of what are the human service and infrastructure maintenance needs of the state of Washington. It seems that too many think the state should be all things to all people and situations. We need to ask what is the role and responsibilities of the state, or any government body for that matter, and therefore what should be the budget, whether that means budget cuts or increased taxes. It might be a good idea to ask the voters what they want and how much they are willing to pay rather than trying to define what is a legitimate budget cut.
Bob Holdridge
Vancouver
