Opinion - Selling off place names?

The state remains in financial trouble. It has made spending cuts, raised taxes and juggled cash and assets from different funds to meet the crisis this year.

Still, money problems persist. Another major crisis looms. This time the state needs to find an estimated $3 billion to balance its next budget.

The state, promises Governor Chris Gregoire, will look at major reforms in the hopes of shedding the status quo of over spending and short revenues. Some ideas include privatization of certain state functions and the elimination of programs. Additional revenues are also needed.

It is a desperate time. Not only is the state scraping the bottom of the barrel for money, it may also be scraping the bottom of the barrel for ideas.

A recent suggestion to the state’s difficulties has been to start selling off place names. The idea is to sell to the highest bidder the names to highways, parks and other state owned property. Much as sports stadiums end up with a corporate sponsor and corporate name, so could state owned lands and roads.

If the plan works, there could be the Bill and Melinda Gates Highway to and from Palouse (formerly known as State Highway 272). Students could attend the Starbucks Coffee Institute of Higher Learning, (once referred to as Washington State University) and watch the Beans play football.

It is sad, but Washington has become the dowager who rummages through her home for a few tidbits to sell off. We are down to peddling names.

But, there may be a simple answer: Boeing could sponsor the entire state. We’d no longer be the other Washington, but simply Boeing State.

Then, we could be moved to Chicago, and all our problems would be over.

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