No money for I-1163

Raising taxes and eliminating services to pay for a costly, unfunded initiative is not in the best interest of either the state or our citizens. Taxpayer dollars for services for low-income seniors and the disabled should go directly to those needing care, not to a training program run by the state’s largest labor union.

Because of budget cuts, more than $500 million in medical services and in-home care to seniors and adults with disabilities was eliminated last spring. People served by DSHS suffered $2.4 billion in cuts. Public and higher education was slashed.

Our state does not have money to spend on a special interest training program while cutting essential services to our citizens. It is more important to restore these services than to spend millions on additional and unnecessary training and background checks for long-term care workers.

Now, the governor and legislature face a special session to deal with the oncoming $1.4 billion budget shortfall. The budget proposal for Aging and Disability Services cuts another $873 million and ends coverage for 18,000 adults with disabilities.

Washington does not need this unfunded initiative. Vote “no” on I-1163.

Heather Moore

Spokane Valley