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CONTACT THE ENTERPRISE Jocelyn Robinson, News editor jrobinson@heraldnet.com

I-1033 is threat to vital services

By Rep. Ruth Kagi

Tim Eyman’s latest initiative, I-1033, threatens our schools, parks and public safety, and it couldn’t come at a worse time.

At the bottom of a deep recession, I-1033 would lock in the drastic cuts we have seen in education, health care, law enforcement, human services, libraries — the list is long. When the economy turns around, Washington would not recover and be able to restore the cuts that have been made to our schools and critical services.

Our cities have already made deep reductions in response to the drop in revenues caused by the recession. Lake Forest Park faced a $600,000 shortfall this fiscal year and cut four positions, including the resource officer at Lake Forest Park School. Shoreline was $2 million short; they cut $868,500 after using reserves to fund critical services. Because these two cities have been prudent and built up reserves, not all of the shortfall resulted in budget cuts. But those reserves are dwindling.

If I-1033 passes, cities will not be allowed to build up reserves. No city or county could save money in the good years to carry them through the tough years.

The non-partisan Office of Financial Management estimates that I-1033 would reduce city and county revenues used for public safety, infrastructure and other needs in our communities by $2.8 billion by 2015, and state revenues that support education, health, environmental and other services by $5.9 billion by 2015. These reductions would be on top of the nearly $4 billion cut in the state budget earlier this year, including $1.5 billion from K-12 education. The legislature faces $1.2 billion more in budget reductions next January.

I-1033 would lock in these cuts and this year’s recession-level budget as the baseline, and then apply a rigid and arbitrary formula based on population growth and inflation to decide how much could be spent in the future. The worst of times in Washington will become the best that we can do.

We can’t let that happen. As we vote, we must not forget that this initiative’s cuts will be felt right here in our community, local economy and classrooms.

Recognizing the damage this measure would do to Washington, more than 200 businesses, education groups, environmental and health organizations and labor organizations have come together to oppose Eyman’s Initiative 1033.

Times are tough — but I-1033 will make them worse. Please vote no on I-1033.

Rep. Ruth Kagi, D-Lake Forest Park, represents the 32nd District in the state House of Representatives.