By Rita R. Robison
What were your best and worst consumer experiences this week?
Which consumer happenings cheered you this week and which ones made you want to scream or weep?
Here are my best and worst consumer experiences this week:
My best: Attending a rally at the state capital
On Friday, I went to the state capital In Olympia, Wash., to take photos of a rally sponsored by unions throughout the state.
More than 7,000 people attended. I’ve never seen so many people at a rally. The steps of the Legislative Building and the Temple of Justice were packed, as was the space in between the two buildings.
Workers urged lawmakers to cut corporate tax breaks rather than slash important programs that citizens, especially the unemployed and those with low incomes, need.
It was great to see so many people gathering to make their voices heard.
One sign summed up the event: “Put People First.”
My worst: The budget proposal by the House
Despite the huge rally Friday, the state House of Representatives on Saturday passed a budget that cuts nearly $485 million from higher education, according to The Seattle Times article “State House Passes Budget Plan With $4.4B in Cuts.”
The House plan also would stop automatic increases to state-employee retirement plans to save more than $360 million, and slashes another $216 million from programs to reduce class sizes in kindergarten through fourth grade. Cutting state-employee salaries would save about $177 million.
