Gov. Gary Locke may think he’s doing the popular thing in avoiding tax increases by cutting spending in education and health insurance to balance the state budget. He’d better think again.
In all, Locke’s proposed 2003-2005 budget would cut more than $545 million from public schools. About $100 million in cuts is targeted for higher education. The governor’s budget would eliminate $212 million in cost-of-living raises mandated by Initiative 732 for teachers and would cut $221 million by not fully funding Initiative 728, which was intended to reduce the size of classes in public schools.
Locke also proposes deep cuts in other services, including state health insurance, Medicaid, corrections, and programs for the poor, disabled and mentally ill. An increase in the state tobacco tax approved last year, targeted for expanding enrollment in the health insurance program, would instead be used to pay for some people already in the plan and 60,000 others would be cut.
Initiatives 728 and 732 passed in 2000 by 72 and 62 percent, respectively. The tobacco tax increase passed by 66 percent. The tax cutting initiatives – 695, 722 and 747 – passed in 1999, 2000 and 2001 by about 56 percent each.
It’s possible that Locke is trying to make a point by subtraction – that he’s trying to show just how much effect the initiatives’ revenue reductions can have. Maybe he’s unselfishly hoping his budget proposals will serve as a lightning rod to rile the populace to the rescue of education and other programs. More likely, he’s running scared of Tim Eyman and his followers, afraid he’ll attract more ire by proposing a tax increase to cover the cost of the education and tobacco initiatives than by what he’s doing.
He should look at the numbers. Apparently, voters recognize the importance of health and education and are willing to pay for them.
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