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closeState could face several years of budget cuts, legislators say
Kilmer, Seaquist address residents’ concerns at forums
Paige Richmond
of the Gateway
A “deep and fast” economic recession means state budget cuts will be likely through the next two bienniums, state Rep. Larry Seaquist, D-Gig Harbor, said during two town hall-style meetings last Saturday.
How the Legislature will handle $8.5 billion in cuts was the topic of discussion, as both Seaquist and state Sen. Derek Kilmer, D-Gig Harbor, met with their 26th District constituents. The legislators held four forums on Saturday, including one at the Key Peninsula Civic Center and one at Gig Harbor High School.
“I know this is gloomy, but it’s important for us to have these conversations,” Kilmer said.
Much of the conversation turned to the economic downturn, which Seaquist predicted will affect state funding decisions through 2013.
“We might struggle along for several years, until we’re back to where we thought we were a year ago,” Seaquist said at the KPCC forum.
The situation seems to be getting worse: Seaquist said the Legislature has seen “a few billion dollars less” in revenue than predicted since February.
Residents brought forward their concerns during the forums, as well.
Gig Harbor High School teacher and Lakebay resident Jim Greetham attended the KPCC event because he worries education will feel the budget cuts most severely.
“When times are positive, the (Legislature) doesn’t turn to us and say, ‘You’re the first priority; share in our surplus,’ ” he said. “And then when funding levels get cut, they say, ‘It’s your turn again.’ ”
Greetham added that he understands the Legislature faces “hard decisions.”
At the forums, both Kilmer and Seaquist said funding education is the state’s “paramount duty,” adding that more students are enrolling in Washington schools.
But they also said no program is ultimately safe from the chopping block.
“I wish I could say there were iron boxes around certain areas of the budget and they wouldn’t get cut, but I can’t,” Kilmer said.
If those iron boxes were possible, some of the events’ attendees would want them applied to the proposed closures of Kopachuck and Joemma Beach state parks.
Preserve Our Parks, a group of residents trying to save the two local parks from being closed or mothballed due to budget shortfalls, were handing out postcards and fliers at the GHHS forum.
Some residents said they’d rather see other programs cut than see the parks closed.
“I think what we’re getting here is a snow job, and you’re scaring people,” said D. Albert Brokeback, a Gig Harbor resident who addressed both legislators. “We all have to cut back, but we don’t have to cut things like parks.”
Kilmer attempted to paint a picture of how serious an $8.5 billion revenue shortfall — the largest in state history — would be. He told the audience that closing every institution of higher learning in the state, including the University of Washington, Washington State University and all community colleges, still wouldn’t be enough to balance the budget.
Even with the situation being that dire, Kilmer said it’s unlikely the state will raise taxes to increase revenues.
“The most likely scenario you’re going to see is a budget that is an all-cuts budget,” he said.
To Janet Gonzalez of Gig Harbor, any cut to programs like special education or health and human services is too much.
Gonzalez, who attended the forum at GHHS, has a son living with Down Syndrome and autism. She said there already isn’t sufficient funding for programs that help the developmentally disabled.
“The budget cuts have created more of a concern,” she said. “It’s a ripple effect, and we don’t know how huge it will be.”
When will the budget be finalized?
The current state legislative session is scheduled to end on April 26, said state Rep. Larry Seaquist, D-Gig Harbor.
Gov. Christine Gregoire is expected to sign the budget into law after the session ends.