Governor set to unveil 2010 supplemental budget proposal December 8

The governor is scheduled to release her proposed 2010 Supplemental Budget proposal Dec. 8. By law, it must be balanced. So brace yourself for an all-cuts plan that will be brutal as the budget deficit has grown another $2.7 billion to $11.7 billion.

But that won't be the end of the story. There is a growing movement that the cuts already made earlier this year have gone too far. We've cut to the bone. Any more cuts are a tragedy waiting to happen.

Most believe that before the legislative session starts Jan. 11, the governor will issue a "Book 2" budget. This would be an alternative to an all-cuts budget.

So expect bad news Dec. 8. But then it's our job to create better news, and support a Book 2 budget that avoids deep cuts that will ruin the quality of life in this state.

Once the governor unveils her legally required all-cuts, balanced budget Dec. 8, it will be time to send a message to legislators that enough is enough.

This will be a time for innovative solutions-with shared sacrifices.

Because you've already sacrificed more than $1 billion in lost pay raises, higher health costs, layoffs and pension funding.

There is another way:

Generate new revenue.

Finding new revenue makes more sense than the drastic cuts needed to close the new budget gap. For instance, the state could close the Department of Corrections and cut all funding for the University of Washington and Washington State University--and still not get to $2.7 billion in savings.

End or temporarily suspend big tax breaks.

We sacrificed $98.5 billion in revenue for tax breaks the past two years. Some are good and fair and should remain untouched -- like the sales tax exemption on food. But the Department of Revenue has identified $14.8 billion in tax breaks that could easily be repealed or suspended.
Even a temporary suspension of a fraction of those tax breaks makes more sense than balancing the budget on the backs of the vulnerable, public safety and state employee families.

Ask US where to save.

You've already sacrificed through layoffs and higher workloads to balance the budget. It makes more sense to ask us where to save, like trimming the Washington Management Service. Why make us pay even more for health insurance? Why wipe out whole programs vital to public safety, higher education and care for the most vulnerable? We need to continue looking for common sense efficiencies.

What now?

To recap:

The governor will issue a first version of the 2010 Supplemental Budget Dec. 8. It will be an all-cuts budget, as required by law. But it's likely she will also issue a second version of the budget ("Book 2") that lays out a plan for legislators to raise revenue.

Call to action:

Call 1-800-562-6000. Tell your legislators to support a Book 2 budget that:

• generates new revenue;
• suspends targeted tax breaks;
• and asks us where to find common sense efficiencies.
• We need a budget that does no more harm and preserves the quality of life in Washington.