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According to 2008 budget figures compiled by the state's Office of Financial Management at the request of Representatives Reuven Carlyle (D-Seattle) and Glenn Anderson (R-Fall City), King County, with roughly 29 percent of the state population, produced 42 percent of state tax revenues, yet it received back less than 26 percent of state benefits. That's a return of only 62 cents on the dollar for our state's Democratic stronghold. Compare that to the generous $3.16 return on each dollar enjoyed by taxpayers in hard Republican Ferry County in deep northeastern Washington. All in all, only six counties qualified as "net donors" to the rest of the state—San Juan, King, Skagit, Kittitas, Whatcom, and Snohomish—while the remaining 33 counties enjoyed an average return on investment of over $1.40 on every tax dollar sent to Olympia.
The Stranger is neither a reputable company, nor a reputable news source. Their data analysis was done by a journalist, not an economist. Their one journalism prize was a fluke.
So here are the links to the official studies. Of course, they only did the data by county and did not split the state into two.
So I put together a spreadsheet to look at state spending versus revenue on a east/west basis. Could have made some mistakes...but the trend is clear.
For 2012 eastern Washington provided subsidies of 19.37 million dollars to western Washington. It looks like from the data that this sum will only continue to grow in the future.
This does NOT include eastern Washington county subsidies to western Washington residents like medical care, law enforcement, search and rescue, etc.
Interesting data sets. Yes, King County generates far more in tax money than it receives in tax benefits (except for transportation spending), but all that money goes to Thurston County not eastern Washington!! Ferry County actually gets back 85 cents for every dollar it sends to Olympia.
There are "welfare" counties. Some of these are related to illegal immigration and state expenditures to support them. Other counties like Pierce, Clark, Jefferson, and Spokane were more of a surprise. Some like Walla Walla (prison), and Whitman (WSU) were pretty obvious. Also for some reason, per capita spending on K-12 education spending by the STATE of Washington is less in eastern Washington than western Washington. Hmm, wonder if the State Supreme court will fix that under McCleary?? Why are all the Federal transportation tax dollars shifted from far eastern Washington to western Washington by DOT?? No wonder Spokane still does not have a north-south freeway!!
Anyway, interesting stuff. I understand why all discussion of this was dropped in the west-side media after the study came out!!
Have fun reading!! BTW that Office of Financial Management site has some other great analysis on taxes and other issues. Did you know that after our politicians promised NO STATE MONEY for Seattle's stadiums we are well over 200 million dollars in state spending for those stadiums??
I am Super Liberal and understand this side of the state makes the laws. I really feel Eastern Washington is not fair because we all know there conservative. Also unlike Eastern Oregon where it is useless land Eastern has nice cities in Spokane, Ellensburg and Tri Cities
What do you think should the state spilt in two
No. Pretty much every state has its liberal and conservative parts, ours just happens to be divided rather conveniently. If our state was to do it, why not every state do it? Why not the liberal part of Texas break off from the rest? Chicago and its suburbs separate from southern Illinois? Jackson and the Delta separate from the rest of Mississippi? Etc, etc, etc. You could do this for nearly every state.
The Stranger is neither a reputable company, nor a reputable news source. Their data analysis was done by a journalist, not an economist. Their one journalism prize was a fluke.
"According to 2008 budget figures compiled by the state's Office of Financial Management at the request of Representatives Reuven Carlyle (D-Seattle) and Glenn Anderson (R-Fall City)..." At the request of a Democrat and a Republican. The Stranger was merely reporting the results.
From Table I (Expenditures Allocated by Benefits Received) of your source:
Counties that receive more in expenditures than they pay in taxes (dollars received in expenditures for every dollar paid in taxes): Adams ($1.80), Asotin ($1.62), Benton ($1.08), Chelan ($1.05), Clallam ($1.31), Clark ($1.51), Columbia ($1.04), Cowlitz ($1.42), Douglas ($1.51), Ferry ($1.88), Franklin ($1.74), Grant ($1.28), Grays Harbor ($1.53), Island ($1.18), Jefferson ($1.06), Kitsap ($1.28), Klickitat ($1.21), Lewis ($1.37), Lincoln ($1.53), Mason ($1.63), Okanogan ($1.88), Pacific ($1.69), Pend Oreille ($1.68), Pierce ($1.29), Skamania ($1.18), Snohomish ($1.05), Spokane ($1.23), Stevens ($2.00), Thurston ($1.16), Wahkiakum ($1.65), Walla Walla ($1.65), Whitman ($1.03), Yakima ($1.96),
Counties that receive less in expenditures than they pay in taxes (dollars received in expenditures for every dollar paid in taxes): Garfield ($0.56), King ($0.65), Kittitas ($0.93), San Juan ($0.48), Skagit ($0.81), Whatcom ($0.92).
King County pays $6.14B in taxes (41% of state total) and receives $3.97B in expenditures (27% of state total), for a deficit of $2.17B, which dwarfs any other county. In essence, King County is subsidizing all but five other counties (three in western Washington). Of those counties receiving subsidies (welfare), 21 out of 33 are in eastern Washington, compared to only two that are paying a subsidy (amounting to only $3.7M for Garfield County and $6.0M for Kittitas County, for a total of $9.7M). By comparison, San Juan, Skagit, and Whatcom Counties pay subsidies of $27.6M, $61.2M, and $34M, for a total of $122.8M.
"According to 2008 budget figures compiled by the state's Office of Financial Management at the request of Representatives Reuven Carlyle (D-Seattle) and Glenn Anderson (R-Fall City)..." At the request of a Democrat and a Republican. The Stranger was merely reporting the results.
From Table I (Expenditures Allocated by Benefits Received) of your source:
Counties that receive more in expenditures than they pay in taxes (dollars received in expenditures for every dollar paid in taxes): Adams ($1.80), Asotin ($1.62), Benton ($1.08), Chelan ($1.05), Clallam ($1.31), Clark ($1.51), Columbia ($1.04), Cowlitz ($1.42), Douglas ($1.51), Ferry ($1.88), Franklin ($1.74), Grant ($1.28), Grays Harbor ($1.53), Island ($1.18), Jefferson ($1.06), Kitsap ($1.28), Klickitat ($1.21), Lewis ($1.37), Lincoln ($1.53), Mason ($1.63), Okanogan ($1.88), Pacific ($1.69), Pend Oreille ($1.68), Pierce ($1.29), Skamania ($1.18), Snohomish ($1.05), Spokane ($1.23), Stevens ($2.00), Thurston ($1.16), Wahkiakum ($1.65), Walla Walla ($1.65), Whitman ($1.03), Yakima ($1.96),
Counties that receive less in expenditures than they pay in taxes (dollars received in expenditures for every dollar paid in taxes): Garfield ($0.56), King ($0.65), Kittitas ($0.93), San Juan ($0.48), Skagit ($0.81), Whatcom ($0.92).
King County pays $6.14B in taxes (41% of state total) and receives $3.97B in expenditures (27% of state total), for a deficit of $2.17B, which dwarfs any other county. In essence, King County is subsidizing all but five other counties (three in western Washington). Of those counties receiving subsidies (welfare), 21 out of 33 are in eastern Washington, compared to only two that are paying a subsidy (amounting to only $3.7M for Garfield County and $6.0M for Kittitas County, for a total of $9.7M). By comparison, San Juan, Skagit, and Whatcom Counties pay subsidies of $27.6M, $61.2M, and $34M, for a total of $122.8M.
lol
I had this exact same argument with him in another thread.
"According to 2008 budget figures compiled by the state's Office of Financial Management at the request of Representatives Reuven Carlyle (D-Seattle) and Glenn Anderson (R-Fall City)..." At the request of a Democrat and a Republican. The Stranger was merely reporting the results.
From Table I (Expenditures Allocated by Benefits Received) of your source:
Counties that receive more in expenditures than they pay in taxes (dollars received in expenditures for every dollar paid in taxes): Adams ($1.80), Asotin ($1.62), Benton ($1.08), Chelan ($1.05), Clallam ($1.31), Clark ($1.51), Columbia ($1.04), Cowlitz ($1.42), Douglas ($1.51), Ferry ($1.88), Franklin ($1.74), Grant ($1.28), Grays Harbor ($1.53), Island ($1.18), Jefferson ($1.06), Kitsap ($1.28), Klickitat ($1.21), Lewis ($1.37), Lincoln ($1.53), Mason ($1.63), Okanogan ($1.88), Pacific ($1.69), Pend Oreille ($1.68), Pierce ($1.29), Skamania ($1.18), Snohomish ($1.05), Spokane ($1.23), Stevens ($2.00), Thurston ($1.16), Wahkiakum ($1.65), Walla Walla ($1.65), Whitman ($1.03), Yakima ($1.96),
Counties that receive less in expenditures than they pay in taxes (dollars received in expenditures for every dollar paid in taxes): Garfield ($0.56), King ($0.65), Kittitas ($0.93), San Juan ($0.48), Skagit ($0.81), Whatcom ($0.92).
King County pays $6.14B in taxes (41% of state total) and receives $3.97B in expenditures (27% of state total), for a deficit of $2.17B, which dwarfs any other county. In essence, King County is subsidizing all but five other counties (three in western Washington). Of those counties receiving subsidies (welfare), 21 out of 33 are in eastern Washington, compared to only two that are paying a subsidy (amounting to only $3.7M for Garfield County and $6.0M for Kittitas County, for a total of $9.7M). By comparison, San Juan, Skagit, and Whatcom Counties pay subsidies of $27.6M, $61.2M, and $34M, for a total of $122.8M.
This^^^^ yep..
So
509
So what if say all 2200 people in garfield county had a 4m surplus. It is the same with your population growth figures. Sure you have growth but it is tiny compared to the corridor.
Please consider the scale. Once you do one sees the minuscule fractional relevance of say Garfield county. Lol. Besides most of the changes from 08/12 are reporting methods.
Fact is the pennies of excess in any eastern washington county do not even cover the shortfall in other eastern counties.
Yep your charts state it clearly rural washington is a wealfare state. At best, counties can hold their own. Any excess is miniscule drop in the revenue bucket.
"According to 2008 budget figures compiled by the state's Office of Financial Management at the request of Representatives Reuven Carlyle (D-Seattle) and Glenn Anderson (R-Fall City)..." At the request of a Democrat and a Republican. The Stranger was merely reporting the results.
From Table I (Expenditures Allocated by Benefits Received) of your source:
Counties that receive more in expenditures than they pay in taxes (dollars received in expenditures for every dollar paid in taxes): Adams ($1.80), Asotin ($1.62), Benton ($1.08), Chelan ($1.05), Clallam ($1.31), Clark ($1.51), Columbia ($1.04), Cowlitz ($1.42), Douglas ($1.51), Ferry ($1.88), Franklin ($1.74), Grant ($1.28), Grays Harbor ($1.53), Island ($1.18), Jefferson ($1.06), Kitsap ($1.28), Klickitat ($1.21), Lewis ($1.37), Lincoln ($1.53), Mason ($1.63), Okanogan ($1.88), Pacific ($1.69), Pend Oreille ($1.68), Pierce ($1.29), Skamania ($1.18), Snohomish ($1.05), Spokane ($1.23), Stevens ($2.00), Thurston ($1.16), Wahkiakum ($1.65), Walla Walla ($1.65), Whitman ($1.03), Yakima ($1.96),
Counties that receive less in expenditures than they pay in taxes (dollars received in expenditures for every dollar paid in taxes): Garfield ($0.56), King ($0.65), Kittitas ($0.93), San Juan ($0.48), Skagit ($0.81), Whatcom ($0.92).
King County pays $6.14B in taxes (41% of state total) and receives $3.97B in expenditures (27% of state total), for a deficit of $2.17B, which dwarfs any other county. In essence, King County is subsidizing all but five other counties (three in western Washington). Of those counties receiving subsidies (welfare), 21 out of 33 are in eastern Washington, compared to only two that are paying a subsidy (amounting to only $3.7M for Garfield County and $6.0M for Kittitas County, for a total of $9.7M). By comparison, San Juan, Skagit, and Whatcom Counties pay subsidies of $27.6M, $61.2M, and $34M, for a total of $122.8M.
Can you please show the actual data, rather than editorialized interpretation of those facts? If you found this article, it should be a simple task to find the report from which that ridiculous media source got their facts. Maybe I missed it, but I couldn't find a link on there to the actual study. I find it interesting that the next link after the article is to a second article called "F*** the State". Some excellent reporting there, huh?
All you guys would be the first to throw a tantrum if a source from Fox News was used. If anything, The Stranger is further to the left than Fox News is to the right.
BTW, "CrazyDponkey's comment was that the population pf Eastern WA was "shrinking". You are still wrong - "Shrinking" and "less growth" are two very different things.
Can you please show the actual data, rather than editorialized interpretation of those facts? If you found this article, it should be a simple task to find the report from which that ridiculous media source got their facts. Maybe I missed it, but I couldn't find a link on there to the actual study. I find it interesting that the next link after the article is to a second article called "F*** the State". Some excellent reporting there, huh?
The numbers I cited in my last post are from your own source:
I did acknowledge that overall population in eastern Washington has not shrunk, but mostly due to population growth in a couple of urban areas, the Tri-Cities and Spokane/Spokane Valley area. However, as a share of overall state population, eastern Washington is shrinking relative to western Washington. That means that western Washington's political influence will only continue to increase, while eastern Washington's will only continue to shrink. The only reason to even contemplate splitting the state is that eastern Washington is losing ground politically (and economically) relative to western Washington.
The reality, based on your own source, is that King County is heavily subsidizing eastern Washington, but many counties in western Washington as well. If the state were split, eastern Washington would clearly be a BIG net loser, while western Washington would be a big net winner. The ONLY net gain for the Dryside over the Wetside would be that it would gain two Republican U.S. Senators, whereas it now has none.
I did acknowledge that overall population in eastern Washington has not shrunk, but mostly due to population growth in a couple of urban areas, the Tri-Cities and Spokane/Spokane Valley area. However, as a share of overall state population, eastern Washington is shrinking relative to western Washington. That means that western Washington's political influence will only continue to increase, while eastern Washington's will only continue to shrink. The only reason to even contemplate splitting the state is that eastern Washington is losing ground politically (and economically) relative to western Washington.
The reality, based on your own source, is that King County is heavily subsidizing eastern Washington, but many counties in western Washington as well. If the state were split, eastern Washington would clearly be a BIG net loser, while western Washington would be a big net winner. The ONLY net gain for the Dryside over the Wetside would be that it would gain two Republican U.S. Senators, whereas it now has none.
Again yes this..
Ps90. We are using your data.. From your link..
(Thanks crazy donkey... I don't got the patience to pick it apart as you do.)
It Is as plain as day your argument does not hold water in the study you posted. Scale my friend.. It is a about scale... Fractional values in rural Washington..
This is not a conservative/liberal thing. It is about capitalism and endless strip malls in the corridor.
It is my opinion if you want to better our state and out nation you are barking up the wrong tree... Rural red areas are welfare recipients or neutral at best..
Hey.. I live in a rural welfare county.. Without the boost from urban areas it would be bad for a lot of struggling working folks.
I did acknowledge that overall population in eastern Washington has not shrunk, but mostly due to population growth in a couple of urban areas, the Tri-Cities and Spokane/Spokane Valley area. However, as a share of overall state population, eastern Washington is shrinking relative to western Washington. That means that western Washington's political influence will only continue to increase, while eastern Washington's will only continue to shrink. The only reason to even contemplate splitting the state is that eastern Washington is losing ground politically (and economically) relative to western Washington.
The reality, based on your own source, is that King County is heavily subsidizing eastern Washington, but many counties in western Washington as well. If the state were split, eastern Washington would clearly be a BIG net loser, while western Washington would be a big net winner. The ONLY net gain for the Dryside over the Wetside would be that it would gain two Republican U.S. Senators, whereas it now has none.
Umm, what? From my own source? The last source I posted was from the DOT about population changes, had nothing to do with taxes. Are you referencing 509's source, but quoting me??? You need to get your arguments straight.
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