I-1033 will spell disaster throughout Washington

What would Washington state look like if Tim Eyman's Initiative 1033 were to pass this November?

Classrooms would become more crowded, the doors to nursing homes would close and fewer people would have health insurance. We know this because of what happened to Colorado after voters passed a very similar initiative in 1992.

After this initiative was passed, the portion of low-income children without health insurance doubled. Support for education plummeted to 49th in the nation. Colorado still ranks near the bottom in high school graduation rates. College students pay higher tuition because support for higher education also ranks 49th in the nation.

Coloradans suspended the law in 2005, but the damage was already done. Classrooms were underfunded, jobs were lost, roads were a mess and seniors faced an even more severe health care crisis.

We have no reason to believe things in Washington would be any different under I-1033.

This national recession has already forced massive cuts in education and health care -- cuts I-1033 would make permanent even as the economy recovers.

Public schools have laid off teachers and librarians, cut bus routes and increased class sizes. Public education suffered $1.5 billion in cuts, with public schools in Yakima losing $2.2 million.

All across the state, college students are paying up to 28 percent more in tuition, courses are being cut, and staff vacancies are being left open. Yakima Valley Community College lost $2.4 million even though enrollment is up 25 percent. YVCC students have 100 fewer classes to choose from, and Washington State University had to close its Yakima Academic Center.

Health care would also be hurt by I-1033. Hospitals, nursing homes and other health care providers are being forced to cut back vital services. The state's Basic Health Plan provides low-cost insurance to 9,611 people in Yakima County, while another 3,903 are on the plan's waiting list. But 35,000 people are in danger of losing health insurance because of cuts to the Basic Health Plan.

I-1033 would make these and the other cuts made during the worst recession in decades permanent, locking them in place even as the economy is recovering. I-1033 wouldn't stop there. Eyman's initiative would force even deeper cuts in the future.

By 2015, the nonpartisan Office of Financial Management estimates I-1033 would cost cities and counties $2.8 billion -- funding used to support infrastructure and public safety. State revenues that support education, health care and other services would be cut by $5.9 billion over the next five years. Just like in Colorado, our health care crisis would become more severe, even more resources would be taken away from our classrooms and kids, and it would be harder to dig out of this recession.

After capping city, county and state budgets at today's recessionary levels, I-1033 would apply a rigid and arbitrary formula to determine future growth.

This one-size-fits-all formula would apply to every single city and county in Washington, regardless of its needs and priorities -- leaving no way to respond to emergencies or support local priorities. It wouldn't come close to keeping up with the increasing costs of health care and education.

And Eyman's formula fails to consider the growing portion of seniors in our population who have greater needs for social and emergency services.

These are some of the reasons why I-1033 is opposed by more than 225 businesses, education organizations, environmental groups, health care leaders and labor unions. I-1033 is also opposed by Democrats, Republicans and independents from Yakima County and all across Washington because of the disastrous impacts it would have on communities.

Despite what Eyman says, ground zero for I-1033 will not be Olympia. I-1033's negative impacts would be felt the most in our communities, hospitals, schools and businesses across Washington state.

We urge you to vote NO on I-1033. Times are tough, but Eyman's I-1033 would make things worse.

* Bill Williams is executive director of the Washington State PTA.

* Leo Greenawalt is president of the Washington State Hospital Association.