Governor to unveil "options" Thursday

Gov. Chris Gregoire is expected to unveil her budget options at a 10 a.m. press conference this Thursday, Oct. 27, in advance of the special legislative session coming in November, on Nov. 28.

This will be when we get a better idea of her position on the devastating “options” already floated to gut public safety and public services – from decimating Community Corrections, to closing six mental health wards, to closing Naselle Youth Camp, to ending the Basic Health Plan and eliminating our medical interpreters.

Many locals are doing regular job actions. Watch for details in your area. Stay tuned to our website at http://www.wfse.org and sign up for text, Twitter and e-mail alerts there.

We’re part of a broad-based movement that’s occupied with amping up actions against these devastating budget cuts. With billions in corporate tax breaks – which are unpaid taxes that the wealthiest 1 percent get away with every year in this state – it makes no sense to slash the public safety net again and again and again and basically wipe out the Great American Middle Class.

Even legislators, who have the power to end enough tax breaks to cover the new $2 billion deficit, are talking about the need for revenue, perhaps as a ballot measure put to voters next spring.

Said Senate Ways and Means Chair Sen. Ed Murray in today’s The Olympian: “Without it, I don’t know how I get the votes for an all-cuts budget. It’s a very difficult situation. I think even Republicans – when they see what is left to cut – are going to be stunned. I think some of them may come to believe we ought to give the voters the option to try to buy back some of those cuts.”

But it’s so bad, we believe the required two-thirds of the Legislature should step up in special session and vote to roll back enough tax loopholes to save our state and our Middle Class.