My mom was a great cook and baker. Every year as we neared my birthday, she would ask what kind of cake I wanted. It was the same every year, but she would ask anyway before making the four-layer chocolate cake with a pudding-based filling and a hard frosting. As much as I loved that cake, I could not make it through a second piece. In other words, no matter how good it was, enough was enough. It often resulted in a queasy feeling in my stomach. I am having that feeling right now.

While this pandemic has been no party, I am a little concerned about the parties involved. Our business community has been unfairly treated, as some businesses have been blessed, while others have taken a serious hit. Our students and families have had to make some big sacrifices, despite the science indicating that it is safe to be back in the classroom. In fact, we now know it is the best place for them to be.

Our state budget, while initially expected to be billions of dollars in the red, has recovered amazingly. Losses in sales tax revenue have been supplanted by real estate taxes and sin taxes. The budget now shows a $3 billion increase over the next two years without a bunch more taxes. Federal Care Act funds have certainly helped to offset losses for local jurisdictions, and there seems to be more relief on the way. Our Republican caucus recently unveiled a budget proposal that has fully funded all areas of the budget with no cuts.

So why the queasy feeling? There are numerous tax bills before the Legislature and suffice to say, it is not good timing. There are numerous bills that only serve to expand government at a time when it cannot operate effectively as it is, and no, money is not the problem. Oversight of critical functions of our state government has failed, which resulted in hundreds of millions of state dollars being lost to scammers. Millions of our citizens had vital information stolen by offshore hackers. Control of the Capitol campus has been restricted to the public because of COVID and perceived security threats and fear of the unknown.

Even the news media is questioning the direction of our state government in a time of emergency. Vaccine distribution has been a boondoggle because of insufficient planning. I have always said that local government is the best government. It is the most responsive to the needs of the people, the most frugal and the nimblest.

Balance is the most important thing in a time like this. Instead of taking money out of the economy and sending it to Olympia, let us leave the money in the community, where it can do the most good. Instead of governing by proclamation, I say we leave the power in the hands of the local jurisdictions. Legislators must get back to representing our constituents like we should. We must trust the people, give them resources and information to make the best decisions so that businesses and schools can reopen safely.

There are lot of groups using this emergency to advance their self-interests and I think they have had enough cake. Now, enough is enough.