OLYMPIA – House Democrats have launched a new website today, WA Budget Cuts, highlighting the all cuts, no revenue budget former Governor Jay Inslee was required to prepare, called the “Book 1” Budget. This example budget relied only on existing law, and no new revenue, to balance the $12 billion budget deficit Washington state is facing. These reductions do not reflect input from, or decisions made by, Governor Bob Ferguson. WA Budget Cuts highlights the largest of the possible cuts and provides a perspective on what these cuts would mean to communities across the state.
For example, under the required budget recommendations, healthcare and public health programs are cut by $3.5 billion over the next four years. Those cuts would eliminate funding for Medicaid Pharmacy coverage for preferred drugs, such as asthma and COPD medications, ulcer drugs, and glucose monitoring supplies, the Children’s Health Insurance Program serving tens of thousands of low-income children, state-funded kidney dialysis, adult dental care, occupational and physical therapy services, and state-funded family planning services, including abortion and doula services.
“These cuts would be devastating for our higher education system, our funding for human services, our funding for many, many health care services, for public health services, and for long term care,” said Speaker of the House Laurie Jinkins (D-Tacoma). “Only 20-25 percent of the budget is actually available to cut, and all of those programs and services are in that 20-25 percent. So, when you have a large dollar amount where you’re out of balance and you have to capture savings in just a few areas, it means that the cuts can be very, very big in those areas.” Jinkins discussed the “Book 1” Budget on her weekly podcast, The Speaker’s Scoop.
Long term care and developmental disabilities programs would be significantly reduced by $1.5 billion, reducing access to services and programs for seniors, people with developmental disabilities, and those in need of long-term care. The single biggest reduction is to nursing homes, adult family homes, assisted living facilities, and 46,000 independent provider and agencies, these cuts would be devastating for the people who rely on these facilities to care for themselves or loved ones.
“From emergency housing facilities to adult family homes, everywhere the state helps make sure someone has a safe and warm place to sleep at night would see catastrophic reductions. This will result in more people without care they need, and more people forced into the streets. It’s that bad and it is very real,” said Rep. Nicole Macri (D-Seattle), vice chair of the Appropriations Committee.
Democrats are considering all proposed budget cuts and balancing those impacts against the need for revenue, which could stave off reductions to the social safety net that exists in Washington state thanks to the last three cycles of budget investments.
“This is really stark stuff. Everyone in this state will be impacted,” said Rep. Timm Ormsby (D-Spokane), chair of the Appropriations Committee. “All of us know someone who needs help once in a while. If we have to make these kinds of cuts, that help probably isn’t going to be there anymore.”
Lawmakers, and residents across the state, are seeing a coordinated media campaign designed to highlight the total size of the state budget. But what is often left out of the conversation is the amount of the budget that simply cannot be cut due to constitutional or federal obligations, such as public schools, or statutory requirements that would need legislation in order to change. 75-80 percent of the operating budget is protected, meaning almost all cuts would have to come from just 20-25 percent of the budget. This is why making $12 billion in cuts is so devastating.
Also left out of the conversation are the people helped by the programs and services in the budget as our state government has grown. Washington residents have consistently shown support for these targeted investments, including at the ballot. This website will help Washingtonians learn more about the reality of an all-cuts budget, including what it will mean for them, their families, and their communities, rather than relying on the shock factor of numbers removed from context.
“This is about helping people understand just how serious the situation is” said Rep. Mia Gregerson (D-SeaTac). “We have worked diligently over the last few budgets to build a real safety net for people in our state, especially for the people who were being left behind. These cuts wouldn’t just pause that work, they would reverse it.”
“We’ve spent more of your state tax dollars on teachers, school supplies, health care for our lowest income residents, and child-care for working families. But people are still struggling,” said Rep. April Berg (D-Mill Creek), chair of the House Finance Committee. “I am focused on making our tax structure fairer for the average person, while still having the funds we need to pay for schools and state services that keep people healthy. Our strong economy is built on responsible budgets that put people first.”
New content to WA Budget Cuts is expected weekly as members of the House Democratic Caucus share what they are concerned about in the example budget cuts.
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