Jolt
Afternoon Jolt: Another Budget Casualty
Gov. Chris Gregoire outlined $1.1 billion in budget cuts last week to cover the $520 million shortfall announced in September
, the $385 million shortfall announced last week, plus another $200 million in unanticipated costs like $178 million in social-service caseloads.
We've heard about the proposed cuts before—eliminating the basic health program ($33.7 million), reducing funding for the University of Washington ($11.4 million), reducing maternity support for low-income and at-risk moms ($3.2 million).
But here's one I hadn't noticed at first—delay paying K-12 teachers in June to save $240 million. Not only is this a serious jolt to teachers, it's also budget trickery.
All the governor is doing is moving $240 million out of this biennium, which runs through June (so she can say she's got a balanced budget), and (I guess) adding it to the 2011-13 deficit, which is already more than $5.5 billion.
We've heard about the proposed cuts before—eliminating the basic health program ($33.7 million), reducing funding for the University of Washington ($11.4 million), reducing maternity support for low-income and at-risk moms ($3.2 million).
But here's one I hadn't noticed at first—delay paying K-12 teachers in June to save $240 million. Not only is this a serious jolt to teachers, it's also budget trickery.
All the governor is doing is moving $240 million out of this biennium, which runs through June (so she can say she's got a balanced budget), and (I guess) adding it to the 2011-13 deficit, which is already more than $5.5 billion.
