Whack! Seattle P-I slams state GOP for endorsing Initiative 912

Tomorrow's editorial is a must-read:

It's enlightening to see that the state Republican Party has formally endorsed Initiative 912, which would repeal the gas-tax increase the Legislature approved earlier this year.

It's enlightening in that it's more evidence of the growing rift in the state party's traditional relationship with business. Washington business leaders have been outspoken in their insistence that the state's economic future depends on a safe and efficient transportation system to get employees to work and products to market.

Disregarding the clear and manifest benefits to business, dismissing the creation of thousands of family-wage jobs, disregarding the votes of respected Republican legislators, ignoring Hurricane Katrina's lessons in neglected infrastructure, rejecting long-needed highway safety improvements on hundreds of miles of two-lane highways, forestalling repairs to dozens of dangerous bridges -- that's the GOP transportation agenda.

The official endorsement means the state GOP can write checks to the I-912 campaign (providing there's anything left in the bank account after the profligate spending on the ill-fated gubernatorial election challenge).

So now the state GOP is forthrightly opposed to funding $8.5 billion in transportation projects.

When it comes to actually getting something done about dangerous highways, crumbling roads, dilapidated bridges and replacing parts of the transportation infrastructure key to the state's economy, the GOP is the party of "no."

Good of them to set the record straight.

Outstanding and well spoken. This is a well-deserved, hard-hitting editorial. The state Republican Party is going to pay the price when it comes to support from the business community for this endorsement. We've said it many, many times, and we'll say it again: tax cuts have serious consequences.

Vote NO on Initiative 912 - put public safety first.