RSSState government, like everyone else, must bite the bullet
Yakima Herald-Republic editorial board
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This editorial appears in the Nov. 22, 2009, Yakima Herald-Republic.
The grim news just got grimmer for the state's budget.
November forecasts predict revenue for the state will drop another $760 million by the end of the biennium on June 30, 2011. That means the governor and lawmakers must deal with an additional $2.6 billion shortfall in the two-year budget. Legislators already wrestled with a $9 billion shortfall earlier in the year.
Add the two figures together and the result is $11.6 billion.
"That's almost a third of our last budget," Gov. Chris Gregoire said Thursday. "We have not seen a shortfall like this in 80 years."
Since 2007, the state revenue picture has shown steady declines. That has led to nine straight economic forecasts pointing to deficits.
Washington has lots of company. There are 47 other states confronting similar budget woes.
Despite improving conditions for the national and state economies, consumer spending continues to be anemic and is the main culprit in the worse-than-expected revenue forecasts.
While Republican leadership has asked for a special session in December to deal with this severe shortfall, Gregoire has resisted such requests. She said a special session could prove costly and unproductive.
During the summer, the governor clamped down on state spending, telling agencies to put a cap on hiring, trim employee costs by 2 percent from budgeted amounts and cut back on out-of-state travel and personal services contracts.
The governor knows the upcoming session in January will be brutal.
"All options must be on the table to produce a budget that works," Gregoire said in a statement released Thursday.
When the words "all options" are tossed around, the natural response is "up to and including tax increases." We trust that any attempt to enact tax hikes will be quashed early in the session. This state's economy, as evidenced by the spiraling down of sales-tax revenues, is not heading in the right direction. Any tax hike would further weaken consumer spending. That's a prospect nobody wants to see.
What faces lawmakers is another round of spending cuts. This time, across-the-board cutbacks won't bring about the desired results. Entire programs must come under review and be eliminated or mothballed if they prove to be too costly or ineffective.
Compelling state workers to take unpaid furloughs or other wage-and-benefit trimming should also be discussed. It's happening in the private sector; there's no reason it shouldn't occur in the public arena as well.
Tough times require tough measures. Refusing to raise taxes is part of that process. It doesn't make the task at hand any easier, but it does keep lawmakers focused on the correct side of the balance sheet: expenses.
* Members of the Yakima Herald-Republic editorial board are Michael Shepard, Bob Crider, Spencer Hatton and Karen Troianello.
(Gregoire) "We have not seen a shortfall like this in 80 years."
Right, and thanks to your mismanagement, Gov., it is larger than ever. There were MANY warnings from the Republicans about the looming budget problems way before Gregoire authorized a huge spending spree in her first term. The Dimocrats poo-pooed it, and here we are. WE may have had a deficit anyway, but not nearly as big as it now is, thanks to the overspending by the Democratic Legislature. I guess they were out to teach the Republicans who was "boss" in this state. Congratulations! We are now more broke than ever.
This is so typical of liberal politicians. They jack up spending in the good times and then pretend they had nothing to do with the deficit during down times.
Didn't Gregoire raise state spending by $8 billion in her first term? Now she's whining about a $11 billion deficit? When are the idiot liberal voters in King county going to wake up?
Michael Shepard, Spencer Hatton, Bob Crider and Karen Troinello,
Shame on you! Do you not have any journalistic standards that require you to investigate your subject matter with some facts before you spout off an opinion that is really just pandering to the popular sentiment? Check on this.... What does 2.6 billion dollars look like? You could wipe out all of our public higher education (WSU, U of W, Central) and you wouldn't be to 2.6 billion dollars. You could wipe out all the parks, plus this and still not be to 2.6 billion dollars. Fact #2-- Do you know that due to cuts last year, many government workers were laid off and on fuloughs? Yes, you even reported it in your own paper. Yakima County has had furloughs, and have laid off folks. Much of this is due to cuts in State Government, because they are connected (you may want to connect that dot). AND fact #3- Have you looked at what is protected in State Government that can't be touched due to constitutional and federal protections-- Only 25% of State government can make up for the 2.6 billion dollar shortfall. What does that mean? That means, No BHP, no help for mentally ill, they will lose GAU, which means they will become more ill, commit a crime and then we can pay for them to be in jail (local government gets to pick up that cost). It means that services to the vulnerable elderly will be cut significantly. IT means that anything that we have done in Washington State that has been productive to assist in diverting people from more costly types of health care that have proven to be cost effective and have positive health outcomes will be wiped out, because these are not protected funds. It means that we will fill our hospital emergency rooms with the sick because they don't have insurance but they can't be turned away at ER. It means people will die. It means that the most vulnerable of our society will be hurt (like vulnerable children who suffer from things like autism, Spencer Hatton). You owe the public more than just launching your silly opinions without looking at the facts. You could open up a dialogue about what public services are valued, but rather you pander to the lowest human charachteristic, greed and selfishness. Anyone can do that, but I would expect more from journalist. Shame on you!
Lastly, I failed to mention one other fact. Of the 48 states that are having similar problems due to the world recession, 38 of the states are resolving the issue with a revenue solution.
Report ViolationGood editorial. I am glad you are not sugar-coating the problem; the truth cannot be ignored and does hurt. The legislature must confront this head on and not be afraid to make difficult decisions. Across the board cuts are not going to get the job done; it is time to fund our priorities and eliminate those programs and services that are at the bottom of the list. I would emphasize that labor costs must be reduced whether it is by way of furloughs, wage and benefit cuts or direct lay-offs. The governor and the legislature must show some backbone and stand up to the labor unions. Tax hikes are not an option.
Report ViolationReallystunned- you DO NOT have you facts totally correct either. Yes, the state has laid of people. But they have hired many more just as any beauracratic institution always does. Just think of the people receiving welfare from DSHS because a friend within puts them on even though they do not qualify. Yes, this happens alot ! Last election the voters were told that we were going to have a huge deficit by Dino Rossi. But no, good old Gregoire lied her way into the governorship again. We need to have Eyman get an initiative going saying that if we go into deficit spending(irregardless what party is elected ) that the counties that vote that governor in picks up the deficit! Pearce and King counties would then maybe better consider their voting records.
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