POULSBO, Wash. - TelAve -- Daria Ilgen, Democratic candidate for state representative in Washington's 23rd Legislative District, announced a five-question Taxpayer Accountability Standard that any proposal for a new or higher tax would need to meet before earning his vote in Olympia.

Under the standard, lawmakers would need to clearly explain why additional revenue is necessary, what taxpayers should expect in return, who would pay, and how the public would know whether the proposal delivered the promised results.

The commitment reflects Ilgen's push to maximize every dollar of state revenue as families continue stretching their own budgets amid higher costs for housing, groceries, health care, insurance and child care. The cost of living for Washington families has risen roughly 20% over the past five years, while the state is projecting a multi-billion-dollar budget shortfall in the next biennium, driven in part by rising costs for services and obligations approved in prior budgets.

Ilgen said the moment calls for a reset in the relationship between Olympia and taxpayers, with greater discipline when raising revenue and greater accountability for the results taxpayers receive.

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"At voters' front doors, I'm hearing that every dollar matters right now," Ilgen said. "Parents are paying more for child care than their mortgage, small-business owners are taking second jobs to make ends meet, and seniors on fixed incomes are wondering how long they can afford to remain in the communities they have called home for decades. Before Olympia asks them for more, it needs to prove the need and be accountable for the result."

Under Ilgen's Taxpayer Accountability Standard, every proposal for a new or higher tax would need to answer five questions:

• What problem are we solving?
• What result should taxpayers expect?
• Who pays, how much, and for how long?
• What are the tradeoffs?
• How will taxpayers know it worked, and what changes if it didn't?

"I am not promising to oppose every tax," Ilgen said. "I am promising never to vote for one without asking the questions taxpayers deserve to have answered. If state government asks people for another dollar, it should explain what that dollar will accomplish and report back on whether it worked."

Ilgen said lawmakers should also examine existing spending before seeking new revenue, including whether programs are meeting their goals, whether rising costs can be reduced and whether existing resources can be used more effectively.

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"We should not have to choose between strong public services and responsible budgeting," Ilgen said. "I believe in strong public schools, health care people can afford, reliable roads and ferries, and safe communities. Protecting those priorities also means asking hard questions about where the money is going and whether people are receiving the results they were promised."

The proposed standard would call for clear goals, measurable outcomes and straightforward public reporting showing how new revenue was spent and whether it produced the promised results. When something falls short, Ilgen said lawmakers should be willing to fix it, change the approach or redirect resources toward something more effective.

"If our assumptions were wrong, we should admit it and adjust," Ilgen said. "Families and small businesses make difficult budget decisions every day. Taxpayers should expect the same accountability from their government."

Ilgen said the goal is not simply to spend more or spend less, but to make government work better for the people who fund it.

"Washington families are being asked to do more with every dollar they have," Ilgen said. "They have every right to expect their government to do the same."

Click here to learn more about candidate, Daria Ilgen: http://www.electdaria.com