What kind of a state is this where we cut back on basic health services for the poor and elderly while funding a multi-billion dollar tunnel instead of much cheaper alternatives?
That would be the State of Washington: a solid Dem state where many of us worked our tails off to keep the state blue and keep the vile Republican, Dino Rossi, from taking power.
Yet, the budget presented by our Democratic Governor is little more than a Republican wet dream, sans tax cuts.
It appears that the die is cast as the Senate Democrats are on board with this travesty.
Here are the budget lowlights:
HIGHER EDUCATION: $300 million reduction in higher education, including a 6 percent cut for community colleges. This could mean higher tuition, fewer courses, larger class sizes, and reduction in faculty. Raises for faculty and staff also are suspended.
K-12 EDUCATION: Suspends voter-approved initiatives on smaller class sizes, and cost-of-living raises for teachers.
PUBLIC SAFETY: Eliminates supervision of misdemeanor criminals and low-risk felony offenders once released from prison. Sex offenders and violent criminals would still be supervised.
HUMAN SERVICES: Saves $160 million by eliminating grants to people in the General Assistance-Unemployable program, affecting about 27,500 people. Discontinues the Adult Day Health program serving about 1,900 elderly and adults with developmental disabilities, saving about $20 million.
HEALTH CARE: $252 million reduction in the state basic health plan, a 42 percent reduction. Medical coverage cut for those in the general assistance-unemployable program, and the state would no longer purchase vaccines for children not covered by Medicaid. Suspended is subsidized health care for children whose family incomes are between 250 and 300 percent of the federal poverty level.
Contrast these cuts with this choice, the most expensive of many possible solutions:
A $4.2 billion tunnel beneath downtown Seattle is the best option to replace the crumbling Alaskan Way viaduct along the city's waterfront, Gov. Chris Gregoire said Tuesday, as opponents filed an initiative to block construction.
Joined by Mayor Greg Nickels, King County Executive Ron Sims and Port of Seattle chief executive Tay Yoshitani, Gregoire told a news conference that time had run out on deciding what to do about the earthquake-prone elevated roadway. She touted the nearly 2-mile-long tunnel as a state-of-the-art solution.
This tunnel will, of course, be partly funded through tolls paid largely by working class people trying to get back and forth.
Meanwhile, real estate interests in Downtown Seattle will reap the rewards.
The homeless and elderly? Not so much.
I worked hard for Governor Gregoire... even donated money.
For this?