I frequently read in letters that with the state in such a horrid economic situation, all it needs to do to cut back spending is roll back increases from the past few years. What these citizens do not realize is that much of the budget is constitutionally protected. Washington has approximately a $33 billion budget, and the vast bulk of it is protected. In fact, of that $33 billion, only $9 billion is open to cuts.
Now, that $9 billion falls into discretionary money, which includes programs like health care, higher education, and more. The example I am most familiar with is the University of Washington. Last year, the UW took hundreds of millions of dollars in cuts. All of the state colleges and universities took similar cuts. Every discretionary program took cuts like that. This year, Gov. Gregoire’s proposed budget cuts even deeper.
Unless new revenues are raised, lawmakers will have to decide between providing health care for the most needy in our state or helping those same people get an education. Under the proposed budget, the State Need Grant, which sends thousands of kids to college each year, will be gutted. More than half of the students enrolled will no longer be eligible if the proposed budget goes through. The remaining students will have their award cut in half. Other financial aid programs will also be gutted, forcing students and families to take on private loans or decide that college is simply beyond their means. Beyond the cuts to financial aid, the state and the universities are also increasing tuition to help make up the budget cuts.
Rolling back to previous levels of spending simply will not solve the problem. Billions of dollars in our budget are protected, and the money that is not protected goes to the services that make our lives as good as they are and make it possible for us to make them even better.
Jono Hanks
Everett
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
