Should Washington state split into two states? (Seattle, Spokane: construction, good schools)

[509]

Seacover...this is interesting data.

Here is the link in case it is legible below: https://ballotpedia.org/Washington_s...t_and_finances

In fiscal year 2015, education accounted for 36.4 percent of Washington's total expenditures.

[hide]State spending by function as a percent of total expenditures, FY 2015
State K-12 education Higher education Public assistance Medicaid Corrections Trans-
portation Other
Washington 22.7% 13.7% 0.5% 19.4% 2.4% 7.7% 33.6%
Idaho 24.7% 8.3% 0.2% 27.8% 3.9% 9.1% 26%
Nevada 16.1% 6.8% 0.4% 25.6% 2.5% 5.4% 43.2%
Oregon 12.0% 1.1% 0.4% 23.4% 2.5% 7.5% 53.1%
Source: National Association of State Budget Officers
Note: "Other" expenditures include "Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), institutional and community care for the mentally ill and developmentally disabled, public health programs, employer contributions to pensions and health benefits, economic development, environmental projects, state police, parks and recreation, housing and general aid to local governments."[5]

[rkcarguy]

Originally Posted by 509

But it does bring up the point that we really need to toll the cross-Cascade highways to tax western Washington drivers that travel in eastern Washington.

We already have the 3rd highest gas taxes in the country, meaning we pay this "toll" every time we pull up to the pump. Tolls are not the way to succeed. The numbers posted prove that Eastern WA pays more than it's fair share of taxes compared to what is spent, and should be adjusted accordingly(spend more on eastern Wa, or reduce the taxes). It's been awhile, but my last trip to the East side was "tar snake central" when they "fix" the cracks in the roads by dribbling them with tar. Looked like it could use the extra money to me.
Also, NW Washington being lumped into one area is a bit misleading, up here in Bellingham I can't think of anything beyond the widening of Meridian St. north of town that has been updated in decades. Pretty sure you can look to the Seattle area for where most of that money is being spent.

[509]

It is the Northwest Region of WADOT.

This link shows the map and gives further information on projects in the region, etc.

https://www.wsdot.wa.gov/region/northwest

I think tolls are fair. I would rather have a toll to enter a different region of DOT than these nickle and dime tolls on individual projects. Besides the Cascades passes cost a lot of money to operate during winter. Users should pay for maintaining these highways.

[NW4me]

E Washington plus the Idaho panhandle could become "North Idaho," with Spokane its capital.

[pikabike]

No. Learn to compromise and get along with the “other half.” Yeah, it will take time and effort. I’m not singling out WA, as other states have similar battle lines.

If each state cannot even be united, there is no hope for all 50 of them being the United States.

[pnwguy2]

Washington, both east and west compliment each other and neither could succeed successfully without each other. Thus this idea of a split is completely unfounded and will not happen in any of our lifetimes.

[Haakon]

Split WA and OR, let the coastal liberal nuts form their own state.

[Haakon]

Originally Posted by pikabike

No. Learn to compromise and get along with the “other half.” Yeah, it will take time and effort. I’m not singling out WA, as other states have similar battle lines.

If each state cannot even be united, there is no hope for all 50 of them being the United States.

Since the liberal idea of compromise is "do it our way OR ELSE" that will never happen.

[pnwguy2]

Originally Posted by Haakon

Since the liberal idea of compromise is "do it our way OR ELSE" that will never happen.

It has nothing to do with "do it our way OR ELSE". In fact it has to do with population, and demographics and political beliefs within those demographics and population.

The conservative idea of compromise is exactly the same. Exactly.

[pikabike]

Originally Posted by Haakon

Since the liberal idea of compromise is "do it our way OR ELSE" that will never happen.

Your attitude is an excellent example of the problem. Us vs Them, regardless which “side” is digging its heels in.