OLYMPIA — Gov. Chris Gregoire’s plan to reduce the state’s current budget by nearly $600 million to avoid a deficit include cuts at the state’s largest agency, and officials there say job cuts are likely.
The Olympian reported that the state Department of Social and Health Services will likely lay off part of its 20,000-employee work force, as $180 million is cut from its budget.
Declining state revenues have slashed the current budget by about $500 million. The current budget expires in June 2009.
DSHS spokesman Thomas Shapley says that with such a big cut in funding, staff reductions are unavoidable.
However, Shapley says the number of people that could get laid off or programs cut has not been determined.
Gregoire and state lawmakers are staring at a budget deficit of nearly $6 billion for the next two-year budget as the legislative session starts in January.
Tacoma: County pays for tips on felons
In Pierce County, tipping police to the whereabouts of felons can be profitable.
Tacoma-Pierce County Crime Stoppers is again offering an extra incentive for tips that help get the county’s most-wanted criminals behind bars. The special cash-and-gift-card campaign began today with rewards of as much as $500.
Law-enforcement agencies in Pierce County compiled a list of their 50 most-wanted offenders, and has posted information about them on the Stoppers Web site at www.santarewards.com. The list includes violent gang members, convicted sex offenders and domestic violence violators.
A similar gas-card giveaway for tips earlier this year got nearly two dozen wanted felons off the streets.
Bellingham: School chief wins state award
The chief of a rural school district in Whatcom County has been named the state’s superintendent of the year.
The Bellingham Herald reported that Mark Johnson of the Nooksack Valley School District was named superintendent of the year last week by the Washington Association of School Administrators.
The Nooksack Valley School District covers small towns in the eastern half of Whatcom County.
Johnson says he’s proud of the work being done in the district. He’s been the district’s superintendent since 1993.
Johnson was credited with leading the district’s efforts to expand early childhood education and English programs for non-native speakers.
Associated Press
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