OUR PROPOSALS
The first step in any attempt to ensure the well-being of Washington State’s economy is the clear, authoritative, and verifiable accounting of our state's fiscal relationship with the federal government.
We call for the State of Washington to publish an annual accounting of the federal revenues generated by Washington's residents, businesses, and economic activity and the federal expenditures that flow back into Washington.
Each annual report would establish a single, clearly defined net federal fiscal balance and answer a straightforward question:
IS WASHINGTON A FEDERAL DONOR STATE OR A FEDERAL RECIPIENT STATE—AND BY HOW MUCH?
The annual accounting would report the state's officially determined net federal fiscal balance: a net fiscal outflow when Washington sends more to the federal government than it receives (“donor state” status), or a net fiscal inflow when Washington receives more than it sends (“recipient state” status).
Just as importantly, the report would publish its data sources, definitions, assumptions, and methodology so that its conclusions can be independently examined, reproduced, and debated.
WITH THE FOREGOING AS A FOUNDATION, RepatriateWA.org PROPOSES THE FOLLOWING THREE EFFORTS:
RepatriateWA supports the development of a Washington State initiative requiring the State to prepare and publish an annual accounting of Washington's fiscal relationship with the federal government.
The accounting would identify federal revenues generated by Washington residents, businesses, and economic activity; federal expenditures attributable to Washington; and the resulting net federal fiscal balance.
The methodology, data sources, assumptions, and calculations would be made public so that the result can be independently examined and reproduced.
If Washington's elected institutions do not establish such an accounting voluntarily, Washington voters should have the opportunity to require it through the initiative process.
RepatriateWA calls upon candidates for the Washington State Legislature—and current members of the Legislature—to support legislation establishing an annual, transparent, and independently reproducible accounting of Washington's federal fiscal balance.
This should not be a partisan issue.
Whatever the result ultimately shows, Washington's elected representatives should know how much federal revenue is generated from Washington, how much federal expenditure is attributable to Washington, and how that relationship changes over time.
We encourage Washington residents to ask every candidate for legislative office a simple question:
Will you support an annual, public accounting of Washington State's fiscal relationship with the federal government?
3.) FEDERAL ACTION: ASK WASHINGTON’S CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION TO KNOW THE NUMBERS (click to review)
RepatriateWA calls upon every member—and every candidate seeking to become a member—of Washington State's congressional delegation to support a transparent annual accounting of Washington's fiscal relationship with the federal government.
Washington's U.S. Senators and Representatives participate directly in decisions involving federal taxation, appropriations, grants, contracts, benefits, infrastructure, defense spending, research funding, and other federal expenditures affecting Washington.
They should therefore understand Washington's overall federal fiscal position and use reliable evidence when representing the state's interests in Washington, D.C.
We encourage Washington residents to ask every candidate for federal office:
Do you know Washington State's current federal fiscal balance—and will you support an authoritative annual accounting so that Washington residents can know it too?