If it's possible to sound stunned in a prepared statement, Washington State University President Elson Floyd did so earlier today: “Hard as it is to imagine, today’s House budget is even more draconian, with a more devastating impact, than the Senate budget proposed yesterday. Words…
The House plan includes no tax increases, although hunting and fishing licenses would cost more. Vehicle owners would also be asked to pay $5 more in annual licensing fees, with the voluntary payment supporting state parks.Here are some of the details from the House budget…
A day after the Senate, House lawmakers proposed a budget plan that cuts much deeper into higher education but spares K-12 education from some major cuts.The House plan would strip $683 million from colleges, even while raising tuition at four-year schools 10 percent a year.…
the house budget would cut operating costs $713 million, which -- after tuition hikes -- works out to a net decrease of 10-17 percent at the state's four-year schools and 13 percent at community and technical colleges.
-suspend I-732 cost of living increases for teachers and school staff-reduce I-728 (class sizes) by $508 million-Higher ed: "major reductions in spending -- resulting in lower enrollments"-Basic Health Plan reduced by $252 million-postpone $432 in pension payments-rate reductions to social service providers, nursing homes, fewer…
The battle to strip the state Fish and Wildlife Commission of some of its powers -- mainly hiring and firing the director of the agency -- continues.Commercial fisherman say the board is tilted too far in favor of sport/recreational anglers. The latter say that the…
"This is a real budget and a balanced budget. It is a budget that attempts to share the sacrifices of this very difficult time." -Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown-"The Senate budget will add over 7,000 people to the ranks of the unemployed." -Sen. Margarita Prentice-"These…
The $7.5 billion House budget plan, released this afternoon, includes $4.6 billion for more than 400 transportation construction projects across the state.In the face of shrinking revenues, the plan maintains -- mostly -- funding for the state's "mega-projects": $2.4 billion for Seattle's aging/sinking/crumbling Alaskan Way…
I'll have lots more reactions later today, but here's the abbreviated version of reactions to the state Senate budget plan released this morning:"...Devastating..."-Sen. Rodney Tom, D-Medina"...Devastating..."-Diane Sosne, Service Employees International Union Healthcare 1199 NW"...Devastating..."-Sen. Margarita Prentice, D-Renton"...Devastating..."-Tom Geiger, United Food and Commercial Workers, Local 21"...Devastating..."-Mary…
After months of behind-the-scenes negotiations and speculation, lawmakers in the state Senate this morning proposed a budget to bridge the state's $9 billion budget shortfall over the next two years.It calls for closing the state prison on McNeil Island, doing away with hundreds of millions…
Gov. Chris Gregoire has bet a batch of Washington-grown potatoes that Gonzaga's Bulldogs will trounce the UNC Tar Heels tonight in Memphis.North Carolina's Gov. Bev Perdue's countered with NC sweet potatoes.Whoever wins, the potatoes will go to a food bank.
In a surprise move, a bill to restrict the power of the state Fish and Wildlife Commission abruptly died Friday as lawmakers deadlocked."There just weren't the votes to move it out of committee," said Rep. Brian Blake, chairman of the House Agriculture and Natural Resources…
From this morning's paper:OLYMPIA _ Trying to broker a truce in a long-running dispute, state lawmakers are considering stripping the state Fish and Wildlife Commission of its role overseeing commercial fishing.The move – likely to be voted on in a House committee today – caps…
This can be a stomach-churning time for lawmakers trying to shepherd pet bills over the finish line. If you need any evidence of that, ask Rep. Kevin Parker, R-Spokane.Parker, a freshman who narrowly ousted Democrat Don Barlow in November, was one of the first out…
A controversial bill to give same-sex and senior-citizen heterosexual domestic partners virtually all the rights and responsibilities of married couples was voted out of committee 7-4 earlier today over the objections of Republicans. The bill, SB 5688, has already cleared the Senate.Local Rep. Matt Shea,…
Sen. Adam Kline, D-Seattle, has posted a lengthy note on his blog describing the state's budget situation -- he says flatly that people will literally die because of the cuts -- and talking about what's likely to happen next. At this point, it looks like…
From today's story about the Senate transportation plan:The Senate is also calling for a study of how the state, which relies heavily on gas tax revenue to pay for roads, can keep paying those bills as motorists continue switching to high-mileage and electric vehicles.“We have…
The conservative Evergreen Freedom Foundation is calling on Gov. Chris Gregoire to make immediate across-the-board budget cuts, as the size of the deficit in the current fiscal year (now until the end of June) grows.Here's the letter the group delivered to Gregoire's office. EFF's Bob…
The budget includes more than 400 projects $4.3 billion. Among them: • I-5/SR 161/SR 18 "Triangle" - Interchange Improvements • SR 3/Belfair Area - Widening and Safety Improvements • SR 6/Willapa River Br - Replace Bridge • SR 9 Corridor Improvements • SR 11/I-5 Interchange…
...and thus get the dubious honor of telling people to hustle their butts into yet another long caucus meeting several times a day?Dawn Morrell. House Ds elected Morrell, a Puyallup Democrat, to take over the job Grant held from 1993 until his death in January.
Here's why the blog's been a little light lately: It doesn’t look like a battleground, but a Spokane Valley mobile home park is once again at the heart of a state clash between environmental concerns and affordable housing.For years, Pinecroft mobile home park has been…
Gov. Gregoire on Monday announced $38 million in proposed federal dollars for about two dozen drinking-water projects, including a couple in Ferry and Pend Oreille counties. Normally, such grants are little-noticed except by public works officials and local folks who no longer have rusty or…
Last year, local young mothers went to bat in Olympia to win more state dollars for school libraries. They proved to be savvy grassroots lobbyists, and succeeded against pretty long odds.Now, the same group is trying to put some meat on skeletal bills aimed at…
Our Boise correspondent, Betsy Russell, reports that Idaho's joint legislative budget committee has voted this mroning for a 3 percent pay cut next year for all state employees in Idaho. Writes Russell:The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee voted 14-5 to impose the 3 percent pay cut on…
From tomorrow's paper:With a final piece of bad news Thursday -- $552 million less than expected for the upcoming budget -- state lawmakers are scrambling to put the finishing touches on a “devastating” two-year budget plan to be unveiled next week. The state's budget shortfall,…
Short takes and breaking news from the Washington Legislature and the state capital.
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