April 24, 2009 in City

Budget spreads the pain

Thousands in Washington will lose jobs, health care; school cuts: $800 million

Richard Roesler Staff writer

OLYMPIA – Here’s some of what Washington residents can expect under a state budget that lawmakers expect to approve this weekend:

•Nearly $800 million in cuts to schools, after figuring in expected federal education dollars.

•7,000 to 8,000 layoffs of teachers, college employees and state workers.

•Tuition increases of nearly 30 percent at the state’s four-year colleges.

•40,000 fewer people on state-subsidized health coverage.

Unable to persuade fellow lawmakers to offset budget cuts with increased taxes, legislative leaders said Thursday they did the best they could to fix a $9 billion shortfall in projected revenue.

“It’s a very difficult and painful budget, but it’s responsible and balanced,” said Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown, D-Spokane.

The budget includes about $4 billion in cuts and savings and more than $4 billion in federal stimulus dollars and other one-time moves, such as reducing pension payments.

“I’d like to have a whole lot more money, but you know what? We don’t have it,” said state Sen. Margarita Prentice, D-Renton. “And I think we’re going to have to live with what we have.”

Republicans say Democratic budget writers aren’t living within their means. Instead of creating lasting reforms and smaller government, they say, Democratic budget writers are relying on federal dollars and shifting money around.

“All they’ve done is punted things out two years” to the next budget, said Sen. Joe Zarelli, R-Ridgefield.

Republicans also point out that state revenues are projected to be slightly higher over the next two years than in the previous two. The $9 billion shortfall is based on what it would have cost to keep state services and programs as-is, including inflation, cost-of-living increases and large increases in health care costs.

Under this budget, the state is still committed to paying for too much, Zarelli said.

“Long term, is it sustainable? This absolutely gets an F,” he said.

Democrats say the cuts are serious and will be widely felt. Rep. Eric Pettigrew, D-Seattle, drew fire from Republicans last week when he repeatedly said that “people will die” as a result of budget cuts.

“I definitely stand by that comment,” he said Thursday, standing in the House wings. “I have no doubt in my mind.”

The full two-year budget will be released this morning. But lawmakers revealed some details to reporters at the Capitol on Thursday evening. Here’s a breakdown:

K-12 education

•Teachers won’t get any state cost of living increase for the next two years, saving $353 million. (State workers and college staffers won’t get the raises, either.)

•State dollars to reduce class sizes will shrink by $600 million, but the state will pay for smaller classes from kindergarten through fourth grade.

•The average cut per school district is 2.6 percent.

Based on the information released Thursday, the state teachers union said it looks like the education cuts may exceed $1 billion.

“We need to be honest about how these cuts are going to hurt students,” Washington Education Association President Mary Lindquist said.

Higher education

•After factoring in tuition increases, reductions will be 7 percent at Washington State University and the University of Washington, 6.5 percent at Eastern Washington University and other regional colleges, and 6 percent at community colleges.

•Tuition will rise 14 percent a year at the four-year schools and 7 percent a year at community colleges.

•There will be room for 9,028 fewer students at the colleges.

Prentice said lawmakers are worried that the changes will make it harder for middle-class people to go to college.

“But we are where we are,” she said.

Health, human services

•The state’s Basic Health Plan, which covers the working poor, will shrink by 40,000 people through attrition. That will save $255 million.

•General Assistance for the Unemployable, which provides health care and $339-a-month stipends to people judged unable to work, was preserved. The medical coverage will be revamped to save $60 million.

•Long-term care programs will see state reimbursements reduced by 4 percent.

•Adult day health programs for people who live in their homes were preserved, although the budget cuts state transportation funding to get those people to centers.

Corrections

•Lawmakers still plan to close a state prison, but they won’t decide which one for months.

Natural resources

•No state parks will close. Lawmakers are asking vehicle owners to pay an extra $5 annually to support parks. The fee is voluntary.

•No fish hatcheries will close unless state fees fall short of what’s projected.

Jobs and pay

•State agencies will have to find $250 million in administrative cuts, including layoffs, worker furloughs and reduced work hours.

Richard Roesler can be reached at (360) 664-2598 or at richr@spokesman.com. For more news from Olympia, please see www.eyeonolympia.com.

11 comments on this story so far. Add yours!

meshuggahman on April 24 at 6:01 a.m.
I wonder, how many of the lawmakers will be effected by these cuts. NONE OF THEM!!!. They have NOTHING to loose. Just like that skank Greggior. It's not their kids who will loose out. It's not their families that will go without medical services. Oh no. They go to the finest doctors, get only the finest coverage, and are want for nothing. Well, it seems to me, that monarchy is alive and well in the Pac. N.W. I would LOVE to see Olympia crack and fall into the ocean with Greggior and all of her henchmen/cronies wired to there beds.

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BT on April 24 at 7:24 a.m.
It's very interesting on how this states government works. No matter what president is in office. Our lawmakers scare us into higher taxes by telling us budget cuts are coming to the elderly and children, but you never here about the business trips, lunches, semiars, lavish parties etc that are held by our lawmakers do we? Let's see Otter, Idaho governor refused his pay increase why doesn't everyone in Olympia do the same thing! They don't need these expensive things, either that or they need a new CPA to do the books correctly! I mean serioulsy, we (tax payers) pay a lot in wages for these folks to do their job, and they can't do that! Why don't they pay some old guy that knows how to budget to run the funds and decide which over paid representative should cut their wages in half, because they can start learning to live within a budget just like the rest of us! Seriously, talk about cuts! Most CFO's and higher should work 30 hours a week, and get paid for 30 hours a week! They don't do anything anyways except run around from meeting to meeting deciding how they can make the middle class person poor. I'd like to see each of their calendar's posted for the public, and see if anything was ever resolved from these meetings! Don't know about anyone else, but if you have more than 2 meetings regarding the same issue it's a waste of time. TQM!!! Put it to work in our government quit wasting our time, taking resources away and learn how to work effeciently and effectively!! Does the average person understand that if these folks worked in the private sector they'd be fired by know! Wake up folks we really need to open our eyes and see what they are doing for us, and not their own pocket book. We can't afford to loose services we need in today's society, but we can afford to loose people in higher government positions.

It's up to us to stand by what we believe in, and if that's removing a person from office who is wasting our tax dollars then so be it! REMOVE THEM!!!!

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westside on April 24 at 8:16 a.m.
Real people layoffs are probably the biggest money saver. Around 80 % of all taxes collected from city, county, state governments go for employees salaries, sick leave, medical, pensions, retirements etc. The private sector has layed off millions, who pay these taxes for government employees benefits…..ain't hardly nothing left now. The private sector taxes keep government employees on the job. But, the state government is grossly miss-managed. Thousands of superintendents, chiefs, assistant to the admins, etc. Cut these people back to 30 hrs a week. State and city goverment's always state that they have to pay exorbiant high salaries to keep key people…..or these key people will go to the private sector for jobs…..ya right.

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Ninch on April 24 at 9:01 a.m.
The details on the budget cuts show that there will actually be very little pain for anyone. Most layoff requirements will be filled by early retirement and attrition. Most people survive very nicely without a COL raise. Basic Health Care will also be mostly attrition as well as the higher income (not lower-income) people. I really do not see any real issues here in the resultant state belt-tightening.

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cryss T on April 24 at 1:53 p.m.
Republicans say Democratic budget writers aren’t living within their means. Instead of creating lasting reforms and smaller government,…etc — What part of laying of 8,000 employees does not constitute smaller government? If any PERS1 are still working it's by choice as the 30 year retirement mark was met in 2007. All PERS2 employees have to work until age 62. The lawmakers do not have the finest medical coverage - good coverage, yes but not finest and they pay a monthly amount for like all state employees. Given the monthly cost of medical insurance for retirees, I bet less people will retire and keep on working. I worked in private industry and I worked for the state and both have abuse. Before y'all say “I pay your salary”, well state employees get no break on sales tax, property tax or anything else, so state employee contribute to their own salary. Think before you speak, state employees in management are paid a monthly salary not an hourly wage, cutting them back to 30 hours would mean less work for the same money. Those state employees who are in a collective bargaining unit will have to have negotiations between the union and the state to reduce hours other than voluntary leave without pay. this is going to be an incredible mess. in this case a Gregoierian knot

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kden on April 24 at 8:46 p.m.
Ninch, or anybody, I don't really understand what attrition means. Can anyone explain it?

However Basic Health is cut, 40,000 is a hell of a lot of people and I for one will not be sleeping well for a while until I know if we are cut or not.

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