Budget Cuts Hurt Working Families

With unemployment expected to rise to record levels, opportunities to achieve economic security through employment are diminishing. Families who are struggling during these difficult times need state investments in health, education, and economic security more than ever. The proposed budget cuts in the Governor's and Legislature's budgets will come as a double-hit to working families who may no longer have market-based resources to rely on. Two examples are health care and education:

• Health Care - Job loss is often accompanied by loss of health insurance. And during recessions, employers may eliminate coverage in order to save costs. Losing health insurance could have a devastating impact on the health and finances of working families. The proposed state budget cuts would remove access to affordable health insurance for many Washingtonians. For example, Basic Health, a state-funded health insurance program that provides coverage to lower income families is facing cuts that would eliminate coverage for 40,000 people.
• Education - Rising unemployment often increases the demand for workforce training and higher education. These programs have long term benefits for workers and the economy. Even one year of higher education can increase an individual’s lifetime salary and help workers meet the needs of employers when the economy recovers. But the proposed deep cuts to funding for community colleges and public universities will reverse this trend by reducing access to higher education for students and workers in the state.

Maintaining Our Priorities

Deep budget cuts are not the only solution to our state's fiscal problems. Washington lawmakers should consider raising revenue to avoid dismantling our important public infrastructures and use the Working Families Tax Rebate to offset the disproportionate impact a regressive tax increase would have on lower income families.