|
 |
|
|
|
Gov. Christine Gregoire Aims to Succeed |
|
|
|
Written On: March/April 2005 |
|
|
|
Written By: by Ron Dalby |
|
|
|
A single, polished-wood desk presides from the center of a cavernous office. A large conference table to the front of the desk and a conversation-pit arrangement of comfortable chairs behind it anchor opposite corners of the room. The ceiling is two stories above the floor.
A single source, Gov. Christine Gregoire, energizes this massive room. She is seated, working through stacks of files, when she looks up to greet another in a seemingly endless stream of visitors to the governor’s office.
She stands, her eyes flash quickly over her guest, a smile forms and expands almost into a grin as she extends her hand. Her grip is cool, firm and sincere. Like all successful politicians, she has a polished, practiced grip-and-grin routine.
Gov. Gregoire has won four statewide elections in a row, the last one a real squeaker. This is a driven woman with a resume full of impressive government jobs, yet her first state job was as a clerk typist. She has, over the years, gone literally from the bottom to the top.
“The best part of this job is that you can actually get things done,” Gregoire said. “This is real problem solving. A few weeks ago I was able to save health care for 20,000 children with an executive order.
“The worst part is the lack of time. There’s so much coming in and so little time to deal with all the people.”
Even though she’s only been in office a short time, Gregoire gets right to the point when talking about her goals. “I want to fix our economy. I believe, as someone once said, that the best social program is a good job. But before we can fix the economy, we have to address health care and education.”
To illustrate her point, she notes that the sticking points in all the current labor contract negotiations in Washington, both in government and private industry, revolve around health care.
Gregoire also knows that in a state facing a $2.23 billion budget gap (as of mid-February), finding ways to fix health care or enhance education programs won’t be easy. Even so, she claims she is not yet ready to start asking for additional taxes.
“We’re working on a budget plan, but we haven’t even looked at taxes, yet,” she said, making it clear that she is the one who directed budget workers not to consider taxes at this point in the process.
Pressed further on the issue of taxes, Gov. Gregoire said she really doesn’t want to increase the B&O or sales taxes. “But,” she notes, “there aren’t a lot of places to look.” She looks you straight in the eye when she says this.
There is no lack of grit and determination in this governor. If she fails to achieve her initial goals — improvements in health care, education and ultimately the economy — it won’t be for lack of effort.
|
|
|
|
