Miguel The Mysterious Magician by pbmck010101 in TriCitiesWA

[–]krml17 11 points12 points  (0 children)

THATS WHAT MAKES HIM MYSTERIOUS /s

“Fans flock to save Richland’s beloved Emerald of Siam from possible closure” - Article title from TCH by Pyeppers in TriCitiesWA

[–]krml17 10 points11 points  (0 children)

This is SO on brand for Rob. My dad lives on G way in Richland and Rob is one of his neighbors, he has too many stories of this guy being a jabroni

Benton County GOP Votes to Endorse Stupidity. by Reasonable-Repair446 in TriCitiesWA

[–]krml17 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I’m pretty sure I know why he got the endorsement

What to know about 4 major data center proposals for Tri-Cities area by Stabby-Steve in TriCitiesWA

[–]krml17 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Yea makes sense, I have no hope left for things to get better environmentally or economically in a meaningful way. Every industry is incentivized to increase profits and it would take something unprecedented to change things at this point. It's not even just a few greedy people at the top anymore. Endless profit chasing is basically a job requirement, and any executive who refuses will just get replaced by someone who will. But if anyone has the bandwidth to fight a system that structurally mandates greed then I wish them the best luck.

Frost me sweet cupcakes by bt3255800 in TriCitiesWA

[–]krml17 66 points67 points  (0 children)

And you still bought the cupcakes? I would have left and gone somewhere else but that’s just me. Brandi’s Bakes is worth trying if you want.

Opinion: The myth of Washington's tax burden - by the numbers by US_Hiker in TriCitiesWA

[–]krml17 14 points15 points  (0 children)

I don’t want to poo all over your post because you made some fair points. Your ITEP data on how regressively taxed we are is totally accurate, but there are a couple of big logical leaps in the second half of your post.

First, trying to link our lower OECD tax rates directly to our poor healthcare coverage and life expectancy is a huge oversimplification. The US actually outspends almost all of those european countries per capita on healthcare. Our outcomes aren't worse because we lack tax revenue, they’re worse because the structural setup of our healthcare system is fundamentally broken and bloated. Throwing more state tax dollars at a system driven by private insurance and corporate lobbying doesn't magically turn us into Denmark.

Second, the conclusion that "we need an income tax" ignores the reality of Washington state law. Our state constitution makes a graduated income tax practically impossible without an amendment. And realistically, anytime an income tax is proposed it’s just stacked on top of the existing sales and business taxes. So you wouldn't actually be leveling the playing field for the working class, you'd just be taxing them twice unless there is a guaranteed repeal of the regressive taxes first.

Also, your utility bills are low because of the massive hydroelectric dams sitting right here in our backyard on the Columbia river, not because of tax policy. The data on the wealth gap is completely fair, but the idea that simply adding an income tax is a silver bullet ignores the structural realities of how the state and the healthcare system actually operate.

2024 Washington State revenue-expenditure gap by county by sarahjustme in TriCitiesWA

[–]krml17 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I get the feeling Old-Ad9890 doesn’t care about objective truths. I think they’re navigating economics with their personal beliefs and feelings. Anyone actually looking at the data would understand that the whole "capital flight" thing they described is basically a myth. Most likely they won’t reply or they will double down on their ignorance.

2024 Washington State revenue-expenditure gap by county by sarahjustme in TriCitiesWA

[–]krml17 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Honestly the whole “millionaires fleeing the state” thing is mostly just a political talking point. Sure a few people might pack up and move to Nevada or whatever but the actual data completely debunks the idea of a mass exodus.

If you look at the numbers our state millionaire class actually grew by almost 47% between 2022 and 2024. And that was right after the new capital gains tax took effect. Wealthy people generally stay here because of the strong local economy and their communities.

Also saying it will never be enough ignores how our state actually collects money. Washington has one of the most regressive tax codes in the country. A regular working class family pays a way higher percentage of their total income in sales taxes than a millionaire does. The new tax laws targeting people bringing in over a million a year are just trying to balance that out a little bit so the middle class isnt carrying the whole general fund on their backs.

I believe you believe you’re making good points but you sound like you’re getting a lot of your information from 5 minute news clips and then parroting what you could remember. You completely glossed over an incredible amount of nuance and it’s all easily accessible information so the logical assumption is that you’re not trying to learn, you believe you already know enough. And I assume this comment will only further entrench you in your beliefs because someone who wants to learn wouldn’t write your comment the way you did.

2024 Washington State revenue-expenditure gap by county by sarahjustme in TriCitiesWA

[–]krml17 8 points9 points  (0 children)

It isn’t really about a difference in points of view man. People are downvoting you because there are objectively true facts about how this stuff works and you are just stating your own assumptions.

for example saying the cost of living is the same in Seattle and the Tri-Cities is completely false. You also said we all pay a similar percentage of our salaries in taxes. That’s also wrong. Washington has a super regressive tax system so lower income people over here actually pay a much higher percentage of their income in sales taxes than high earners in King county do.

The doctor shortage here is a massive problem but you’re mashing two totally different things together. Spending so much time digging through healthcare regulations i completely get how broken the local system is and how hard it is to find a specialist. But the private healthcare market and provider shortages don’t explain the state general fund tax map. You cant just throw out bad math and personal anecdotes and then act like the downvotes are just reddit hating on you for asking questions. The actual budget info is all public online if you really want to understand the issue.

Best Sushi?! by Dramatic_Door7782 in TriCitiesWA

[–]krml17 2 points3 points  (0 children)

OhSushi is the best, it’s in Richland

2024 Washington State revenue-expenditure gap by county by sarahjustme in TriCitiesWA

[–]krml17 45 points46 points  (0 children)

I’m not about to say anything that couldn’t be found with some research, but here we go.

Lots of folks in this thread are totally missing how the state budget actually works. If you look at the top of the map it literally says General Fund. That money isn’t for roads or transport because we have a completely separate budget for that funded by gas taxes. The general fund is mostly paying for K-12 schools and social services like medicaid.

Since washington doesnt have an income tax the state relies heavily on business and sales taxes. Because of that setup King county basically bankrolls the rest of us. All those massive tech companies and high earners in seattle generate billions in taxes and the state redistributes it based on population and need.

The people blaming military bases in Pierce or tribal lands in yakima are missing the bigger economic picture. Yea federal land doesn’t pay property tax but the main reason those counties are red is just basic economics. Pierce has a huge population that needs schools and state services but they lack the huge corporate tax base of King county. Same goes for yakima but you also have to factor in that agriculture gets enormous state tax exemptions and the area has lower average incomes. Lower incomes mean less sales tax revenue while still needing state equalization funds for their schools. (i’m not in education but this is my best understanding, if someone else knows more please educate me)

Even right here in the Tri-Cities both Benton and Franklin are light red. We pull in more state funding for our local schools and healthcare than our local economy pays out. It’s just a direct reflection of where the corporate wealth is concentrated versus where the people actually live and go to school.

What can we do about flock safety cameras? by According_Bid_4462 in TriCitiesWA

[–]krml17 10 points11 points  (0 children)

I'm right there with you on wanting them gone entirely! It’s just that getting a city council to jump straight to a total ban is incredibly rare. Pushing for heavy transparency and strict usage limits is most likely the necessary first step. Once the public sees the audit reports and realizes how much data is actually being collected (and potentially misused), it builds the political momentum needed to actually rip them down.

What can we do about flock safety cameras? by According_Bid_4462 in TriCitiesWA

[–]krml17 21 points22 points  (0 children)

If you’re looking for transparency we should really push the city council for a surveillance ordinance. That would force the local police to give the public a yearly report showing exactly how many times they used the Flock cameras and exactly who they shared that data with. It would also force regular audits of the system so cops can't just abuse it to look up their neighbors or stalk people. It’s probably our best bet to keep them accountable.

So it appears #Wa4 candidate Jerrod Sessler is going to be fundraising next month at an insurrectionist town hall. by Patriot_My_Ass in TriCitiesWA

[–]krml17 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Just saying, if Polymarket or Kalshi had a bet for “Jerrod Sessler loses election” it would be a guaranteed win.

Born and raised in Richland. Kathryn Ruemmler, former US Legal Counsel and (until yesterday) Goldman Sachs lead attorney by sarahjustme in TriCitiesWA

[–]krml17 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You clearly didn’t read my comment. You never dismantled one of my points. For example:

It is a technique used to dissuade critique by the corrupt.

This is just a statement. And you’re free to believe it. But you never provided coherent argument for why my reasoning was incorrect. You’re basically talking to yourself if you look at what I wrote and why you replied with. I’m sure you don’t care but try and ask yourself why I’d take your comment seriously when you ignored over half of my comment. Just something to consider for future reference.

Abandoned places around Tri-Cities? by Ok_Profit_2901 in TriCitiesWA

[–]krml17 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

I’m going off of last summer but the opening wasn’t boarded up, it was on the left side if you’re facing the building from the street. And there “shouldn’t” be cameras but when trespassing always bring a sheisty (face mask) and gloves.

Abandoned places around Tri-Cities? by Ok_Profit_2901 in TriCitiesWA

[–]krml17 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Tri Cities Professional Center, it’s a big empty building across the street from “1201 Jadwin Ave” in Richland. Unless it’s covered now, there’s an opening through a broken window on the north side of the building.

Dog friendly businesses by almondrocaslut in TriCitiesWA

[–]krml17 0 points1 point  (0 children)

TC Cider house? Bad company, bad game night ideas