Gov. Gregoire deserves credit for a serious state budget

THE grumbling about Gov. Christine Gregoire's budget among legislators of her own party is understandable. Why would the people of Washington suffer such cuts, when they had elected Gregoire rather than Dino Rossi? Why cut so heavily into the programs Democrats support?

The answer is simple: There is no money. There was not going to be enough money, recession or not, because the spending added during the boom was going to overshoot revenues. This was in the financial forecasts, and the Republicans pointed it out at the time.

Now comes the crisis, harder than anyone in Olympia expected or can be blamed for, and the forecast shortfall grows dangerously larger. In November, the official forecast was for a two-year budget hole of almost $6 billion.

A month later, Gregoire proposed a budget that fills that hole. A number of Democrats said they hated her budget. The governor nimbly says she hates it, too.

Hatred is easy; decision is difficult. The governor has had to immerse herself in the budget and her critics have not. She has had to accept the discipline of arithmetic.

Her critics say, "Don't cut this," and, "Don't cut that." This is political language. Ask a politician, Democrat or Republican, "What would you cut?" and nine-tenths of them answer, "Not this." They say it forcefully, as if they were being courageous.

They are saying it now, and it is posturing. It is telling constituent groups, "I'm on your side." At the same time, they are trying to get the message to these same constituents to expect less. This was on the minds of Seattle Democrats who paid a visit to The Seattle Times earlier this month.

Said Sen. Adam Kline, "People are e-mailing me, saying, 'I know it's going to be bad, but please save this.' But at some point, electeds have to turn to their constituents and say, 'Folks, that's wishful thinking.' "

Newly elected Rep. Scott White is getting e-mails pleading that a program is only $10 million, a drop in the bucket in a $33 billion budget. Said White, "If we're facing a $6 billion deficit, we're talking about cutting out 600 10-million-dollar programs."

There is the governor's problem — and the Legislature's. And that is before the final revenue forecast. That one, due in March, is going to be worse. It might show a $7 billion or $8 billion problem.

It's time for everyone to get serious. Gregoire has. Give her credit for that.