Take action to prevent devastating cuts

As we begin the New Year our state is faced with some stark choices about our future and the things we value. 

• Do we put college out of reach for more than 10,000 low-income students by cutting their financial aid or do we close unjustified tax loopholes? 

• Do we kick hundreds of thousands of people (including 16,000 kids) off of health insurance or explore new sources of revenue?   

These are the types of choices legislators will face when they return to Olympia, on January 11th, to decide how to close the $2.6 billion deficit the state faces due to the recession.  

We need to send a loud and clear message that legislators should not balance the budget on the backs of working families, our kids, the most vulnerable, and the environment.
 
That is why we are joining organizations across the state to deliver thousands of petitions to the capitol on the first day of session. 

Please sign onto to this petition at the link below:   
http://www.fusewashington.org/page/s/firstdayaction 

 

Last year the legislature cut $3.6 billion from the state budget for 2009 -2011. 

These substantial spending reductions have cut into the muscle and bone of our education and healthcare systems, programs that support kids, the elderly and disabled, and projects that clean up toxic waste sites and protect clean air and water. In additional $2.6 billion in cuts would be devastating and include the following impacts:

• 100,000 additional Washington State citizens would lose their health insurance – including 16,000 children – and the total number of uninsured in our state will top one million;

• Class sizes will swell, early learning programs for children under 5 will be cut, school districts in less wealthy areas will lose funding and more than 10,000 students will be priced out of a college education; 

• 85,000 seniors would no longer be able to afford their medication;

• 50,000 pregnant mothers would lose critical prenatal support;

• The State would abandon programs to protect clean water and clean up toxic pollution;

• Working parents across the state would lose access to childcare, threatening their ability to work

Fortunately there is a better way forward!  

We can take a more balanced approach by closing unjustified tax loopholes and raise other sources of revenue to fund these programs.   

To prevent these devastating cuts the Governor and Legislature needs to here from you! 
  

Take action by clicking on the link below:   
http://www.fusewashington.org/page/s/firstdayaction ?

Thanks!