Government Waste in Washington State

By 2050 it is expected this society will have an economic problem because of the increase in the percentage of people over 65 from today's 15% to 30% nationally.  Some project that in Washington State the increase will only be to 20%. This demographic shift, call it a tidal wave, will likely require an increase in government support services for the elderly. Those services include healthcare under Medicaid, transportation, and housing.

To deal with that there are not many options; increase taxes to provide for those services, turn to the public sector for those services, or some combination of the first two.

I believe that it would be to the Libertarian movement’s benefit if it was pointed out that by reducing a number of programs, including departments, such as DNR, L & I, OSPI and a number of others tax dollar can be saved and used if need be for other services, especially for the elderly in need. To be clear DNR is the Department of Natural resources, L & I is Labor and Industries and OSPI is the Office of Superintendent of Public Instructions.

But let’s not stop with OSPI. The entire education system needs to be turned upside down and shaken. Every school district across the state should have their district office closed and sold off. Too much money is spent on these little fiefdoms that should go back to the taxpayer. Education should be separated from the state and run by teachers with the children learning what they wish when they wish.

Washington has about 195 departments and commissions some of which are necessary but probably a number of them could be abolished with the taxes returned to the public without anyone being harmed. Do we really need a Potato Commission or how about the Arts Commission? Then there are all of the boards that support the occupational licensing business which I really have to question because they really do little to protect the public. They do limit completion which drives up the prices and benefits the industry being licensed.

Given the present atmosphere we may even want to look at issues related to justice, crime and punishment. Are there better ways to deal with these issues in our state or the nation is a question we all should be asking ourselves and each other.

We need to prepare today for tomorrow’s problems.