Advocacy groups oppose cuts in Gregoire proposal

Gov. Chris Gregoire's budget proposal, suggesting cuts to numerous programs across the state, was immediately met with resistance from teachers, state workers and poverty advocates who said the most vulnerable populations could get hit the hardest.

And some lawmakers who will be presenting their own budget proposals when the Legislature meets next month noted that Gregoire's budget is not the last word.

Gregoire unveiled a no-new-taxes budget plan Thursday to fix a nearly $6 billion deficit over the next 2 1/2 years. Spending cuts were a major piece of the pie, with more than $2.5 billion in reductions for the 2009-2011 budget alone, not counting skipped pay raises.

Health and human services took the biggest hit, with a combined $1.5 billion in cuts to programs like free vaccines for poor children and the state's Basic Health Plan, which provides health care for people making less than $22,800 a year.

Also eliminated would be a program that gives cash payments and treatment subsidies to the disabled and other people who cannot work.

Robin Zukoski, an attorney with Columbia Legal Services who represents some people getting payments from that program, said the proposed cut could leave about 21,000 people with little safety net.

"There's no alternative for these folks," she said.

Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown, D-Spokane, said one "glaring flaw" in the governor's proposal is the assumption that the state will receive about $1 billion in federal assistance.

Brown said the cuts also may get worse "because of the assumption of the federal money and because we have another revenue forecast to go through."

"I have a concern that people think this is as bad as it could get," she added. "It might not be."

Brown said it will be up to lawmakers to find creative ways to address the budget problems to avoid having "the brunt of the impact going on the most vulnerable people in the state."

"I'd like to think there are more options than the governor is currently presenting," Brown said. "It will be our job as the legislative session begins to think about what some of those options are."

After years of warning the state was spending too much money, minority Republicans on Thursday were more pleased with the Democratic governor's proposal.

Senate GOP budget chief Joe Zarelli, R-Ridgefield, called Gregoire's budget a good first attempt. People should look at the proposal as a worst-case scenario, but Zarelli added that it's shown a way for the state to have a balanced budget without raising taxes.

"She's shown we can do it, certainly," he said. "Now the Legislature has a lot more time to look at it thoughtfully."

"I believe we can balance this budget without new taxes and fees," said House Republican budget leader Gary Alexander, R-Olympia. "And it might be the best thing for the long-term future of our state."

Also unhappy with the current proposal are unions that represent teachers and state workers - both groups are staring at no pay raises under Gregoire's proposal, even though state employees recently negotiated contracts calling for raises and teachers are due raises under a voter initiative.

Greg Devereaux, director of the Washington Federation of State Employees, said state workers have heard repeatedly that "everything is on the table." But that apparently didn't include tax or fee increases, Devereaux said.

"If our contracts can go unfunded when they were approved two months ago, why can't a campaign pledge be retracted?" he asked, referring to Gregoire's re-election promise not to raise taxes.

Higher education was hit for about $350 million in spending cutbacks.

University of Washington President Mark Emmert said he expected some reductions, but "this magnitude of cut, if enacted, would seriously harm the University and impede our ability to serve the higher education needs of our state's citizens."

"Reducing state support this much at a time when more people are looking to higher education to help lift us out the economic downward spiral may be pennywise but pound foolish," he said.

Gregoire acknowledged the difficulties.

"I have lived within our means. I've tried to be compassionate about it, I've tried to live within our values," she said.

That said, Gregoire admitted she wasn't happy with what she had to do.

"I hate it," she said. "There will be something for everyone not to like."

John Mahaney of Yakima is one of those people. He spent much of Thursday on the phone with other parents worried about the possible closure of Yakima Valley School in nearby Selah, which provides 24-hour care for 100 people with moderate to severe disabilities. Gregoire has suggested that the school be closed, for a savings of $1 million.

The school also offers care for people like Mahaney's 25-year-old son, Mark, who has a seizure disorder and cerebral palsy and is cared for at home.

Mark currently goes to the school for five days every other month. If the school closes, the family will instead have to rely on community respite care for longer periods, along with finding a new provider for Mark's dental care.

"If I use community respite, that means bringing a stranger into my house. I would have to trust someone in my home for 24-7," Mahaney said. "Hopefully something can be worked out."

---

Associated Press writer Shannon Dininny contributed to this report from Yakima.