The Washington Institute Foundation, an independent, free market think tank, today released a major study on how state and local governments can make the budget adjustments needed to comply with Initiative 695. Titled, 25 Commonsense Ways to Implement Initiative 695, the study includes a foreword written by State Auditor Brian Sonntag.
Passage of Initiative 695 presents a challenge for state and local government leaders. Repeal of the car tax reduces revenues the state collects by some $760 million a year. These funds helped pay for police, firefighters, road building, public health and other vital services through both state programs and city and county budgets.
Many elected officials now say their only choices are to dip into reserves or cut back sharply on these basic services. The Washington Institute questions whether that is really true.
"Our research shows that is not the case," said study author Paul Guppy, "There are actually dozens of practical ways state and local officials can implement Initiative 695 without sacrificing the essential mission of government."
The policy ideas presented in the study are designed to accomplish both immediate and long-term savings. Many of them build on the real-world successes states and cities around the country have had in providing better public services at lower costs.
State Auditor Sonntag noted, "This Policy Brief takes an important step in constructively prompting a public debate over how to implement Initiative 695. Through an open exchange of ideas we can begin to restore citizens' trust in government."
The study's 25 proposals are listed on the next page. They are not presented in any particular order. The intention here is to lay out a range of innovative ideas to guide policymakers as they work responsibly to fulfill Initiative 695's requirements.
