Gregoire is an excellent governor, with 4 years of successful work. She was recognized as one of the 9 best public officials in the entire country [Governing magazine 11/07]
"The list of her accomplishments would be the envy of any governor, ranging from budget surpluses to ambitious education and economic development initiatives to the resolution of some of the state's longest running legislative battles---She also runs one of the most open state governments in the country."
The PEW Institute ranked Washington as tied with two other states (Utah & Virginia) for Best Managed State (Grade: A-)
www.pewcenteronthestates.org
2. Best for Business. Forbes magazine ( a conservative publication) ranked Washington State the 3rd best state to do business in, rising from 12th place. Washington is the ONLY state that finished in the top three main categories (labor, regulatory environmental and growth).
Washington's unemployment rate was the highest in the nation; now we have been below the national average for 20 months.
3. Brilliant Negotiator, Great Leader. Gov. Gregoire negotiated a bill to break the gridlock between farmers and environmentalists for distribution of water in Eastern Washington that was good for fish and farmers. This had been in the pipeline for 30 years. Imagine, for 30 years these entities were wrangling and never were able to come to an agreement, until our Governor used her leadership skills to bring them together.
She used her leadership as our Attorney General to bring about the now famous "tobacco settlement". She had been selected by all the other State Attorney Generals across the country to negotiate on their behalf. That settlement has brought 100's of millions of dollars to the State of Washington. Through use of some of the settlement funds for anti-smoking ads there has been a decline in smoking among both adults and kids.
Thanks to Gov. Gregoire's 'hands-on' leadership style, more than 130 transportation projects have been completed, including the Tacoma Narrows Bridge project (which was completed under-schedule & under-budget!).
  
Farming in the Palouse "Bob I've got emphysema." Tacoma Narrows Bridge
On the Tribal Gaming Contract- the Spokane Tribes wanted the right to open 24/7 casinos off of the tribal land, and put slot machines across the state. Working across the aisle with Republican King County Prosecutor Maleng and Republican Attorney General McKenna, they rejected the idea of turning Washington into a gambling state like Las Vegas- just to take advantage of revenue sharing. She did not take contributions from the tribes. Those two R's can hardly be happy that Rossi is telling lies about the negotiations with the tribes in order to trash the governor and get elected. I don't want slot machines in every restaurant and 7-11! Do you?
[Note: Rossi now has a lawsuit against him for creating a Dino Rossi fund (nearly a million dollars) within the BIAW- Building Industry Assoc. of Washington. Tell the truth, Dino- who's using 'soft' money?
"We finally have an electable candidate who believes as the BIAW believes..."
BIAW President Brad Spears, BIAW Membership Meeting, Introduction of Dino Rossi, June 18, 2008]
4. Balanced the Budget. She began her tenure with a $2.2 billion revenue shortfall. She worked with the Legislature to pass a budget that was responsible, invested in education, took care of our most vulnerable, and was balanced.
[Note: Rossi's ads are VERY MISLEADING! Washington has a surplus of $529 million today. Rossi is talking about a 'projected' deficit for June 2011'. The State is mandated to balance their budget, and we will have to make some adjustments. Rossi is lying!
Note: Gov. Gregoire eliminated a 'bed tax' that was included in the now famous "Rossi budget". You can call it a tax or a fee, but it cost our private-paying seniors their life savings. They had to pay over $6 every single day they were in our nursing home beds. That was how Dino Rossi balanced his budget- on those seniors lying on their backs in nursing homes across our state- our most vulberable citizens. Nice way to treat Grandma, huh?]
Take a look at this YouTube video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNeewBZpEQo&eurl=http://www.chrisgregoire.com/
5. Supports Working Families Gov. Gregoire was raised by a single, working mother in Auburn and understands the importance of a paycheck to working families. She listens to the people's concerns: Will the public schools prepare the kids for a 21st century job? Will Dad still have a job with our economy sliding into difficult times? Will families be able to keep food on the table, and gas in their tanks so they can get to their jobs? She knows what it's like to have these conversations, because she grew up in a home like ours.
- 200,000 new jobs have been created since Gregoire took office.
- 84,000 children now have health care coverage.
6. Our Public Safety The crime rate is a 14 year low; in fact, the International Assoc. of Chiefs of Police named Washington State Patrol the Best Law Enforcement Agency in 2007! Since she's been our Governor we have increased jail sentences for sex offenders, opened new prisons to keep dangerous criminals where they belong, shortened the response time for child abuse and neglect, and have imposed the strictest toy safety standards in the country.
7. HEALTH CARE Thanks to Chris Gregoire Washington has 84,000 more children on health care and are on track to have all children insured by 2012. She has the support of veterans across the state because she cares that the men and women who have served our country get the support they need.
8. The NEXT WASHINGTON PLAN
is Chris Gregoire's plan to keep diversifying our economy and creating jobs. This plan benefits our rural communities in Eastern and Western Washington with: tax breaks for our farmers so they can hang onto their family farms; tax incentives in rural areas to retain jobs and replace those jobs that were lost across our natural resources communities; and working with foreign leaders to increase our Washington exports, now doubled!!
Take a look at this plan----
http://www.governor.wa.gov/priorities/economy/next_wa_final.pdf
Another YouTube-
Gregoire and her link to Spokane
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c80kPJTNYyU&feature=user
9. EDUCATION IS A PRIORITY She reduced class size, raised teacher pay, increased apprenticeships, expanded access to college, and provided all day kindergarten for low-income kids. Yes We Can- Our children need to be ready to learn, lead, work and succeed.
10. A CLEAN ENVIRONMENT Gov. Gregoire created the Puget Sound Partnership to clean up Puget Sound, which joins businesses, communities, local elected officials and the Tribes. Also she signed the Climate Change, Green Jobs bill, which will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, 'grow' the green economy and produce a cleaner state for generations to come.
Re-Elect Chris Gregoire!
We are facing some tough times ahead, and we need someone to stick up for us! |
