As our state legislators convene for their annual session, the budget will dominate their efforts. The budgetary process always entails weighty discussion and debate of Washington’s priorities and needs, but the 2015 budget process is especially rife with challenges. Representatives and senators face difficult choices in education, environmental stewardship, tax policy and the state’s human service safety net.
Olympia partisans often label the state’s budget as a moral document. It usually does not change state law, but it does set the priorities for our state. These priorities change depending on who wields power and the issues our state faces.
From 2006-2009, before the Great Recession set in, the Governor and the Legislature made long-term investments in children, the health of people in our community, and the environment, while also broadening the human service safety net. Our leaders bet on the future, while keeping their obligation to help the neediest among us.
The downturn and recession challenged Washington in ways we will hopefully never experience again. A cratering economy, declining revenue, skyrocketing need, and uncertain political will forced our state to do less right at the moment when more was demanded of us.
Judaism, too, is filled with moral challenges which demand reflection and action from us. Vayikra/ Leviticus overflows with guidance about how we eat, what we do with our personal time and who we socialize with. Yet, one of the most compelling commands is also the least specific – “You should love your neighbor as yourself.”
This dictate offers guidance for how we live our daily lives and how we plan our future as a society. Do we want good schools? Absolutely. Is it important that we breathe clean air? You bet. If we were ever in need, would we want a helping hand to lift us out of poverty? Without a doubt. Here and now, these desires might seem farfetched, unachievable and idealistic. But by setting our sights high and grounding them in moral language, we identify the society we want, and not the society we will settle for.
Today the recession is behind us, Washington’s economy is improving, and the future should be bright. Our own community will work to tackle hunger and food security and ensure that the neediest are not left behind as the state recovers. These subjects are challenging; undoubtedly, lawmakers and lobbyists (myself included) will spend hours working toward our preferred solution. Yet, with a little help from Leviticus, we will never doubt the importance of loving our neighbors in this legislative session.
Food security is important to so many in our JFS family. Contact your state legislator and express your support for “Breakfast After the Bell,” legislation that will help ensure that every student is nourished and ready to learn when the school day starts.
By Zach Carstensen
Zach is the Director of Government Relations & Public Affairs at the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle.
Feature image by David C. Cook.
