Published: Monday, March 30, 2009
Dems' budget proposal seeks to cut jobs, health care and college enrollment
OLYMPIA – Senate Democrats unveiled plans today for erasing a $9.3 billion budget shortfall that would lay off up to 7,000 state workers and teachers and cut money for employee raises.
Democratic budget writers would also close a state prison, but keep state parks open. They would also reduce the number of low-income families enrolling in state subsidized health care and require the most down-and-out welfare recipients to undergo drug and alcohol treatment to get monthly stipends.
Colleges will have to raise tuition and lose 10,000 enrollment slots in the two-year spending proposal.
The Democratic senators proposed budget spends $31.2 billion in the two-year period starting July 1 while leaving $850 million in reserves, a portion of which will be in the voter-approved rainy day fund.
Overall, Democrats use $3 billion in federal money and shift nearly $1.3 billion from the capital budget and rainy day fund to avoid deeper budget cuts in education and health care.
For example, in education, Senate Democrats eliminate 93 percent of the funding for smaller class size programs under Initiative 728. But most of the dollars are made up with federal aid. As a result, the Senate estimates overall cuts to school districts will average 3.5 percent.
No new taxes are created in the spending plan but several means of raising money are counted on.
One of those is an optional $5 fee for state parks to be paid by car owners when they renew their license registration each year.
Democratic senators estimate this will raise $28 million in the biennium, enough to prevent the sale or closure of any of the state’s parks.
Senators do hope to save $16 million by closing the McNeil Island Corrections Center on July 1, 2010. The center is now home to some of the state’s worst sex offenders.
Senators assume another $60 million in savings from changes in criminal justice policies that will lead to reduced supervision and early release of some non violent offenders.
State employees will not get raises and will pay a greater share of their health care premiums as a part of the plan.
Public hearings will begin later today and continue throughout the week in the Senate Ways and Means Committee.
House Democrats plan to release their budget proposal Tuesday morning. They too scheduled hearings.
Democratic budget writers would also close a state prison, but keep state parks open. They would also reduce the number of low-income families enrolling in state subsidized health care and require the most down-and-out welfare recipients to undergo drug and alcohol treatment to get monthly stipends.
Colleges will have to raise tuition and lose 10,000 enrollment slots in the two-year spending proposal.
The Democratic senators proposed budget spends $31.2 billion in the two-year period starting July 1 while leaving $850 million in reserves, a portion of which will be in the voter-approved rainy day fund.
Overall, Democrats use $3 billion in federal money and shift nearly $1.3 billion from the capital budget and rainy day fund to avoid deeper budget cuts in education and health care.
For example, in education, Senate Democrats eliminate 93 percent of the funding for smaller class size programs under Initiative 728. But most of the dollars are made up with federal aid. As a result, the Senate estimates overall cuts to school districts will average 3.5 percent.
No new taxes are created in the spending plan but several means of raising money are counted on.
One of those is an optional $5 fee for state parks to be paid by car owners when they renew their license registration each year.
Democratic senators estimate this will raise $28 million in the biennium, enough to prevent the sale or closure of any of the state’s parks.
Senators do hope to save $16 million by closing the McNeil Island Corrections Center on July 1, 2010. The center is now home to some of the state’s worst sex offenders.
Senators assume another $60 million in savings from changes in criminal justice policies that will lead to reduced supervision and early release of some non violent offenders.
State employees will not get raises and will pay a greater share of their health care premiums as a part of the plan.
Public hearings will begin later today and continue throughout the week in the Senate Ways and Means Committee.
House Democrats plan to release their budget proposal Tuesday morning. They too scheduled hearings.
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