Spokane7
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February 18, 2011 in City
Senate, House leaders OK cutting $242 million by June 30; full Senate to vote today
OLYMPIA – A budget agreement that cuts an estimated $242 million in projected state spending between now and June 30 but preserves some health and welfare programs targeted for elimination by Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire is scheduled for a vote in the Senate this morning.
The spending plan, one of a series of “supplemental budgets” the state has needed because of falling revenues and rising demand for services, got the approval of Senate Democrats and Republicans and House Democrats on Thursday morning in a special meeting.
House Republicans were absent and state Rep. Gary Alexander, of Olympia, lead Republican budget writer in that chamber, said previously the plan has things they wouldn’t agree to, such as a $25.4 million cut in state money for smaller classes in grades K through 4. Because the schools are already in session and the teachers are in those classes, that’s a retroactive cut, he said.
Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown, D-Spokane, said the latest spending plan cuts more from state colleges and universities than Gregoire proposed, while keeping more in health care and social services.
“The approach that we tried to take was not eliminate (those programs) … but reform and reduce the cost,” she said.
It calls for wage reductions of 3 percent to 5 percent starting in April for non-unionized state workers and managers; because of contracts, pay cuts to union workers start in July.
Brown said she didn’t think the earlier wage cuts for some workers is unfair: “We can’t violate collective bargaining agreements.”
A four-page breakdown explains the differences with previous budget plans by the governor, the House and the Senate. Here are some highlights:
• Public schools face cuts of $58.6 million, down from the $72.5 million proposed by Gregoire. Along with retroactive cuts to K-4 class sizes, it also cuts $24.7 million from safety net programs, but it leaves some $18 million in the budget for levy equalization programs for smaller and poorer school districts, which the governor proposed cutting.
• State universities and colleges would get a $26 million cut, the largest in a plan to shift responsibility for student financial aid. The governor proposed reducing higher-education funding by less than $1 million.
• Health care would get a $47 million cut. The Basic Health Plan and Children’s Health Insurance Program would survive but with new, lower eligibility levels. The Disability Lifeline continues, but with lower cash grants and housing vouchers. All state funding for Part D Medicare co-payments is eliminated.
• Long-term care, developmental disability and mental health programs would be cut $70.5 million, including a $19 million cut in payments for personal care and a $12.6 million cut in payments that cover services not covered by Medicaid
• Other human services face cuts totaling $43.5 million on a wide range of programs ranging from food assistance to alcohol and drug addiction treatment to refugee employment aid.
Combined with some $125 million in transfers into the general fund from other accounts, the plan would erase $367.4 million in projected red ink. But the projected shortfall is about $600 million, so another proposal, which could shift some payments due at the end of June to the new biennium that begins July 1, will be necessary at some point.
Supermajority for taxes unconstitutional, judge rules 
DickAdams on February 18 at 8:57 a.m.
What a joke. In today`s SR another story talks about increased spending. The right hand doesn`t know what the left hand is doing but both hands are picking the pockets of the taxpayers. One question. Would anyone in the private sector hire either Lisa Brown or Chris Gregoire? Only if these two spend thrifts fleeced enough taxpayer money and handed it over to certain greedy corporations.
eagleproducer on February 18 at 9:24 a.m.
Dick: Why don’t you get a job?
Rand on February 18 at 9:33 a.m.
“But the projected shortfall is about $600 million, so another proposal, which could shift some payments due at the end of June to the new biennium that begins July 1, will be necessary at some point.”
How in the world can they do something like this with a straight face. Oh we don’t have enough money this year, how about we pretend some of the bills are due next year. Let’s pretend that if we don’t have to make the tough decisions this year we won’t have to make them next year. Great job guys, keep following your heros down in Sacramento and see if you can’t lead us to the same destination they have almost reached, insolvency.
woamike on February 18 at 12:33 p.m.
Good call Rand. Politicians need to stop kicking the can down the road and CUT out stuff we don’t need, can’t afford or they have no business spending our money on in the first place.
If more people don’t wake up soon and demand fiscal responsibility from government at all levels, the politicians will kill the goose.
Dazzeetrader11 on February 18 at 11:07 p.m.
Tucky…the REAL question is : Why don’t YOU? No Union work today? Oh I forgot..they’re getting paid by the taxpayer for a 4 day weekend.
Dick is a very very prestigous productive man. He actually works for a living.
Nice try though.
Cut cut , snip snip. This is what happens when the money generators run out of money because the parasitic unions ran wild. Over now…