Senate budget threatens Washington's future

Updated April 19, 2011

Yesterday the Senate passed its version of the 2011-13 operating budget with a 34-13 vote. There were several changes made to the budget bill in the fiscal committee and on the floor, which resulted in $13 million less in reserves.  A few of the changes include:

• Removal of the increased allocation of slots for early learning; keeps the program at current funding levels.

• Removal of the policy to adjust state payments to schools based on the average daily attendance of students; instead, payments for school bus maintenance are pushed forward a few years, instead of yearly payments to school districts.

• Lowered the cut to Family Planning grants to $2.25 million (original cut was $4.5 million).

Now that budgets have passed out of both the House and Senate chambers, differences between the two versions must be resolved. There is a $320 million difference in reduction levels between the House and Senate budgets.  The regular legislative session is scheduled to end on Sunday.

Original post

The Senate’s proposal to close a $5.1 billion shortfall for the 2011-13 biennium marks the final component necessary for lawmakers to begin negotiations towards a go-home budget.  

The proposal makes $4.8 billion in reductions, counts on no new revenue, and leaves $738 million in reserves. 

Unlike the House budget released last week, the Senate does not count on $300 million in revenues from the privatization of the state’s liquor distribution system.

The result is more cuts-- to higher education, economic security and health care for the state’s most vulnerable, and reduced compensation to our teachers.

Core public structures that provide necessary support to our children, people with disabilities and low-income workers are ratcheted down to the bare bones through reduced and capped enrollment levels. 

Additionally, low-income recipients of medical care will be asked to pay a greater share of the costs through premiums and co-payments.

Cuts include:

• Admission to the Basic Health Plan for low-income working adults will be frozen and enrollment capped at 34,000 by the 2013 fiscal year (current enrollment is approximately 41,000).

• Admission to the Disability Lifeline program for people who cannot work due to a disability will be limited and enrollment capped at 11,700 (current enrollment is approximately 20,000); cash assistance is eliminated for most recipients and reduced for those awaiting federal SSI benefits.

• Eligibility for some children in Apple Health for Kids is lowered and enrollment is capped at 22,500.

• Teachers in K-12 will receive a 3 percent salary reduction.

• Tuition at our state’s higher education institutions will be increased 11-16 percent.

For a full comparison of the Governor, House and Senate budgets, click here. 

Once again, the devastating impacts of an all-cuts budget are made clear. Washington's recovery requires a rational, balanced approach to the ongoing economic crisis.  Our Framework for Prosperity tool provides a common sense, vision-based approach that includes measuring our progress toward key public priorities and securing our fiscal future through long-term reforms.