Latest from The Spokesman-Review

• Washington revenue forecast flat

  June 20, 2012 OLYMPIA — Washington’s budget outlook is about the same as February, with bright spots in a few areas like aerospace and software but concerns over a recession in Europe and … 2

• Both sides win issues in hard fought state budget

  April 12, 2012 in City on Page A5 OLYMPIA – For almost 91 days the Legislature wrestled with a looming budget problem. For the first 90, it was even odds, at best, whether the Legislature would win. The … 4

• Spin Control: Readers’ impasse fix: Cut off lawmakers’ pay

  April 8, 2012 in City on Page B3 OLYMPIA – The longer the Legislature goes, the more readers call with suggestions on how to make it stop. Last week even featured a candidate for lieutenant governor suggesting that … 1

• Gregoire signs budget patch

  December 21, 2011 in City on Page A6 OLYMPIA – With advice to the Legislature to show up “tan, rested and ready” in January to finish fixing the state’s budget problems, Gov. Chris Gregoire signed the $480 million … 1

• ‘Dreadful’ budget cuts loom

    October 28, 2011 in City on Page A5 OLYMPIA – Gov. Chris Gregoire released a list Thursday of possible choices to slash $2 billion from the state budget, more than a fourth of that total from public schools … 92

• Gregoire expects more bad news before summoning lawmakers

  September 21, 2011 in Region Washington’s economic outlook is so much more likely to get worse in the next two months that Gov. Chris Gregoire said she won’t call the Legislature into a special session …

• Washington budget sag continues

  September 15, 2011 in News, Region OLYMPIA — Washington’s economic outlook continues to weaken, and the state could face a drop of $1.4 billion in the money it has available for its main budget over this … 9

• Medicaid cuts target ER visits

  September 3, 2011 in City on Page A1 Medical services for the poor are eroding in Washington state as budget cuts take hold. The latest round of Medicaid cutbacks will begin Oct. 1, including efforts to curb repeated … 23

• State asks agencies to prepare for cuts

  August 9, 2011 in City on Page A1 OLYMPIA – State agencies will prepare plans to cut their spending by as much as 10 percent as Washington braces for the prospect that the next state economic forecast could … 5

• Governor lays out plan to erase red

  December 18, 2010 in City on Page B1 OLYMPIA – The state could balance its books through the end of June by cutting more funds for schoolchildren, dropping payments to small school districts, eliminating some health care programs … 9

• Gregoire proposes consolidating state agencies

  December 14, 2010 in City Gov. Chris Gregoire wants to consolidate several state agencies and eliminate three dozen boards and commissions in a plan she says will save the state nearly $30 million over the … 28

• Pension, health care cuts proposed

  December 13, 2010 in News OLYMPIA— The state could save billions by changing pension and health care plans, Gov. Chris Gregoire says. 20

• Wash. Legislature prepares for Saturday special session

  December 10, 2010 in Region Washington lawmakers prepared today to make emergency budgeting moves in an unusual “lame duck” special session, the latest drastic measure sparked by Great Recession-era budget deficits. 3

• State economist still bullish, but forecast has officials scrambling

  November 21, 2010 in City on Page B1 OLYMPIA – Little changes can have big costs. That may be the main lesson from last week’s announcement that Washington state’s budget appears to be another $1.2 billion out of … 3

• State economist “bullish,” despite slower-than-expected recovery

  November 20, 2010 in City, News OLYMPIA – Little changes can have big costs. That may be the main lesson from last week’s announcement that Washington state’s budget appears to be another $1.2 billion out of … 1

• Unions called back to table

  November 20, 2010 in City on Page A1 OLYMPIA – Washington wants to renegotiate its labor contracts with state workers in the wake of Thursday’s revenue projections that lopped $1.2 billion out of the budget over the next … 29

• State wants to reopen union contracts

  November 19, 2010 in News OLYMPIA—State employees unions are being asked to renegotiate contracts because of projected shortfalls in the state budget. 19

• Larch Corrections Center to close amid prison cuts

  October 1, 2010 in Region The Larch Corrections Center in Yacolt will be closed next Feb. 1, and the state Department of Corrections will cut 299 jobs as it seeks to make $53 million in … 2

• WSU president rejects across-board budget cuts

  September 30, 2010 in Region Facing millions of dollars in budget cuts, Washington State University President Elson S. Floyd said the school needs to make a stronger case about the importance of higher education. 5

• DSHS to cut staff by 380

  September 29, 2010 in News OLYMPIA — One of the state’s largest agencies will cut 380 employees, give the remaining staff two more days of unpaid leave and reduce the amounts spent on long-term care, … 9

• Gregoire: Services to suffer in state budget cuts

    September 16, 2010 in News State health care programs could shrink or disappear in the coming months, at least one state prison could close and college classes could be more crowded next semester as state … 17

• State budget woes strike welfare program

  August 13, 2010 in City on Page A5 OLYMPIA – Fewer people will qualify for a state welfare program that provides child care subsidies and help finding a job under cuts announced by Gov. Chris Gregoire on Thursday. … 8

• Gregoire announces $51M in cuts to state welfare

  August 12, 2010 in City, Region Fewer people will qualify for a state welfare program that provides child care subsidies and help finding a job under cuts announced by Gov. Chris Gregoire today 44

• Murray action patches budget for now

  August 8, 2010 in City on Page B3 For weeks, the prospects for another special session in Washington state to deal with a budget crisis revolved around an acronym that became a four-letter word: FMAP. Pronounced EFF-map, never … 2

• Editorial: State budget gets reprieve – but deficit clock ticking

  August 8, 2010 in Opinion on Page B8 That giant “Whew!” you heard was from Washington state legislative leaders who did not want to convene a special session to deal with a budget shortfall. Add Gov. Chris Gregoire …

• In brief: State workers will be furloughed today

  August 6, 2010 in City on Page A5 Many Washington state workers will take today off without pay for the second scheduled furlough day forced by budget problems. The Legislature passed a bill in April requiring many state … 4

• State to look at agencies’ overtime pay

  August 4, 2010 in City, Region Gov. Chris Gregoire’s budget staffers are looking into rumors that state agencies have undercut the expected $73 million in savings from planned furlough days by paying overtime to replacement workers. … 8

• Gregoire considers options for budget

  July 29, 2010 in City on Page A6 OLYMPIA – Gov. Chris Gregoire could decide by next week whether to call a special session to cut the state general fund budget or order across-the-board cuts of as much … 2

• Gregoire: Toss budget plan

  June 25, 2010 in City on Page A7 OLYMPIA – Washington state faces a shortfall of $3 billion in the next biennium and has to come up with a new way of writing budgets, Gov. Chris Gregoire said … 2

• Editorial: Convening lawmakers again should be last option

  June 6, 2010 in Opinion on Page B8 Before Gov. Chris Gregoire calls the Washington Legislature back to Olympia for another special session, she should reflect on what happened in the first one. Unable to fix the state’s … 2

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