Governor Gregoire encouraged by ag's attitude on tax exemptions
Washington Ag Today December 10, 2009 Governor Chris Gregoire will put out a second 2010 supplemental budget in January which will include a revenue package to restore some of the programs being eliminated in the balanced budget she unveiled yesterday. Washington faces a 2.6 billion dollar shortfall in its 2009-2011 biennium. The governor said she is looking at tax loop holes and exemptions as revenue sources. Agriculture benefits from some tax exemptions and during her news conference yesterday Gregoire mentioned a recent meeting she had with the industry. Gregoire: “I was as encouraged as I have ever been when I sat at this table with representatives from all of our agriculture community who then said to me when I asked for help, because that is what I am asking each one of these groups for, help, said you know what, we are going to go down our list of exemptions. We are going to ask ourselves whether we can delay, whether we can suspend or eliminate our exemptions. That is the kind of spirit it is going to take.” The governor said she would do her best to avoid any new taxes that would slow an economic recovery. Washington State University President Elson Floyd says the governor’s budget plan requires WSU to cut another 13.5 million dollars on top of the 54 million it has already cut this biennium. Floyd said the further reductions will require the university to make fundamental changes in its structure, program and operations. I’m Bob Hoff and that’s Washington Ag Today on the Northwest Ag Information Network. ? ?
