Gov. Gary Locke asks six agencies to tell how they’d cut $578 million from their budgets.

By David Ammons

Associated Press

OLYMPIA — Gov. Gary Locke’s budget office, struggling with a projected deficit of $1 billion, on Wednesday released agencies’ "reluctant" suggestions on how to lop $578 million from the state budget.

The ideas include cutting the prison population by 1,900 inmates, laying off hundreds of state workers, eliminating some social and health programs, raising a variety of user fees, and contracting some services to the private sector.

Adult dental care, AIDS programs, welfare for 20,000 unemployable single adults, and other programs would be cut or eliminated. At least three fish hatcheries would be closed.

State subsidies for auto emission testing would be eliminated, probably adding to the $15 fee paid every other year by the 1.8 million motorists who have their vehicles tested in Pierce, King, Snohomish, Clark and Spokane counties.

The state faces the biggest deficit in a decade due to a sagging economy and the lingering impact of the terrorist attacks. Locke wants to balance the $12 billion budget for the next fiscal year primarily through spending cuts. He has all but ruled out general tax increases, but has talked about college tuition increases, fund transfers and a variety of fee increases.

Basic education is exempt from cuts, but all other programs, including higher education, are being asked to help out. Locke’s budget director, Marty Brown, on Wednesday released the suggestions of the six largest noneducation agencies under the governor’s direct control.

Brown said the cuts were only reluctantly proposed, and that Locke may not have to, or choose to, include all of the proposals in the new budget he submits to the Legislature in December.

The Legislature convenes in January.

"The scenarios we’re getting from the agencies are ugly," Brown told reporters. "Whatever program we put on the chopping block is a program that many will argue is absolutely vital to keep.

"But our economic situation, especially after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, is ugly, too. We must cut state spending and we must use the information from the agencies to make choices that best serve and protect our critical services and core missions."

By far the largest cut would come in the Department of Social and Health Services, which serves 1.3 million people a year. The agency came up with ways to cut $474 million out of its $3.2 billion budget for fiscal year 2003, which begins July 1.

"All of our clients are vulnerable, so cuts of this magnitude would be painful," said agency secretary Dennis Braddock. "In the weeks and months ahead, we will work with the governor and Legislature to serve and protect our state’s most vulnerable children and adults, and to preserve public safety.

"Our choices were limited. The least harmful cuts were already made in previous budget adjustments."

The agency proposed cuts in more than 80 programs, with staff cuts of about 960.

Proposals include mothballing Mission Creek Youth Camp near Belfair, reduce aid to counties for social and health programs, limit mental health care for non-Medicaid patients to those in crisis, reduce aid for communities near the new McNeil Island sex offender center, and reduce chore services and some programs for the developmentally disabled.

Other plans would freeze hiring of new case managers, reduce nursing home reimbursement by $25 a day per client, and eliminate Foster Grandparent and Senior Companion programs.

The General Assistance Unemployable program for 20,000 adults would be eliminated, as would state funding for the Refugee Assistance Program.

A variety of reductions are proposed for medical assistance, including maternity support, adult dental care, prescription drug payments, medical care for legal immigrant families and interpreter services.

The prison system proposes reducing the adult prison population by about 1,900 through early release of drug offenders and other nonviolent inmates, and by less community supervision for the less serious offenders. This would save $74 million. The Legislature would be asked to revise sentences, particularly for drug offenders.

The health department suggests reduced funding for AIDS education and drinking water conservation. The agency proposes new user fees for shellfish testing, syphilis testing and other services.

The trade and community development agency proposes reducing block grants for early childhood education, emergency food and shelter assistance, and less funding for trade fairs and research.

The Department of Fish and Wildlife would close at least three hatcheries and reduce salmon recovery and resource protection programs. The agency proposes some license and fee increases, including a $4 million commercial landing tax increase.

The Department of Ecology would use $8 million from an off-budget account to cover expenses now in the main state budget. The agency also would make the auto emissions program self-supporting.