HOUSE BUDGET CLEARS COMMITTEE; GET CALLS IN ON BUDGET PLANS

The House Ways and Means Committee today voted out its version of the budget for these tough economic times, SHB 1244.

There are still cuts that we need to mitigate. But the budget has a number of good parts we need to support when budget negotiators work out a final, compromise budget.

The biggest plus: The House committee OK’d an amendment to control Washington Management Service and the Exempt Management Service.

Under the amendment sponsored by Rep. Larry Seaquist from the 26th District, when agencies make administrative reductions, there will be statewide reduction in WMS and EMS positions of 8 percent in each year of the 2009-2011 biennium. No fewer than 800 positions must go under this amendment.

The committee also adopted amendments funding crisis residential centers important to our Children’s Services social workers.

And in a big victory, the House Ways and Means Committee OK’d $200,000 in funding to save the Labor Education and Research Center at The Evergreen State College.

Also adopted:

• an amendment taking the Voight Creek, fish hatchery off the closure list.
• a study of the disability benefits in PERS 2 and PERS 3, with a report back to the Select Committee on Pension Policy by Nov. 1, 2009.
• increasing Department of Natural Resources funding by $3.8 million to partially restore the fire suppression program, corrections camp, recreation sites program and administrative reductions.
• in the Department of Ecology, reducing the transfer of the Waste Reduction/Recycling/Litter Control account to the state general fund by $3.1 million and increases the expenditure authority from that account by $3.1 million.
• clarifying that the transfers from the natural resources funds are intended to support natural resource agencies.
• removing the state support enrollment targets for the four-year universities and colleges and community and technical colleges.
• shifting the federal child care stimulus funds in the Department of Early Learning from fiscal year 2009 to fiscal years 2010 and 2011.

The House budget now goes to the floor for a vote of all representatives. The Senate Ways and Means Committee has not yet acted on its version of the budget, SB 5600.

CALL TO ACTION ON THE BUDGET:

Call 1-800-562-6000 and urge legislators to support these parts of the House budget (SHB 1244):
• Funding for state employee health care—the House plan has more to head off any point-of-service cuts.
• The amendment reducing the Washington Management Service and exempt positions.
• The amendment on crisis residential centers and Voight Creek.
• Keeping Yakima Valley School and Green Hill School open.

And urge legislators to support these parts of the Senate budget (SB 5600):
• Funding for Community Corrections—the Senate plan saves more jobs than the House ‘s or governor’s budget proposals.
• Keeping Naselle Youth Camp open.