In the spotlight:
State Operating Budget
Addressing Washington’s $9 billion deficit is my top priority this session. The Senate Operating Budget was released this week. It is an all cuts budget with no tax increases. Every branch of state government will experience reductions. The budget includes layoffs of 7,000 state employees, salary freezes and increases in health care premiums for state employees (including teachers, legislators and all other employees of the state). It will cut college enrollment by 10,500 students, reduce reimbursement rates for hospitals, nursing homes and supported living facilities, reduce low income drug treatment and will prevent park closures with an introduction of a voluntary $5 licensing fee. This budget doesn’t pick winners and losers; cuts were made in all state services in order minimize the burden to any specific area; here are some of the major cuts:
· State employees and compensation: $707 million
· K-12 education: $883 million
· Higher education: $513 million
· Health care: $782 million
· Long term care, DD and mental health: $216 million
· Other human services: $356 million
· Corrections and criminal justice: $167 million
· Natural resources: $90 million
Please know this is just the start of the budget process. Over the next 3 weeks the House and the Senate will negotiate a final budget expected before the end of April.
Education
2009-2011 Senate Budget Impact on Federal Way School District
Our state’s constitution protects funding for basic education; this budget does that. At the same time, more than 40 percent of the state budget goes to education and some cuts will have to be made. School districts across Washington will be facing cuts close to $1 billion. This is out of a $37 billion budget. The federal stimulus package will help. Washington will receive $650 million of federal stimulus money. The Senate uses this money to equalize funding for our 295 school districts. The Federal Way School District will receive $3.6 million in equity funding under the Senate proposal. This assures that no Washington school district will receive a cut greater than 3.5% ; the Federal Way School District is slotted for a 2.3 percent reduction.
When times were good, Washington injected significant additional dollars into the Federal Way School District. Over $20 million of new money, on top of the formula driven state appropriations, was given to Federal Way in the 2007-09 biennia. This time, with a severe national and state recession, the District loses about $7 million or 2.3 percent of its state funding.
Federal Way Issues
Saltwater algae cleanup: The Senate budget includes an appropriation of $144,000 to fund the provisions of SB 5412, a bill to control saltwater algae. This issue was brought to me two years ago by constituents and the City of Federal Way. Rotting sea lettuce and its accompanying stench are serious health and environmental problem at Dumas Bay and other beaches along Puget Sound. The $144,000 would fund removal of excessive sea lettuce and develop a long-term solution to this problem.
Federal way Chamber of Commerce Incubator: The Senate operating budget included an appropriation of $125,000 to help fund a business incubator for the Federal Way Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber desires to partner with the City of Federal Way, Federal Way Public Schools, DeVry University, Highline Community College, SBDC and local businesses to support the new businesses that participate in the incubator. The goal of the incubator is to produce successful businesses able to become financially viable and operate independently. The incubator would not only create jobs, it would help stimulate the local economy. The next step is to make sure this appropriation is included in the House budget.
Temporary Works Program: The Senate Construction Budget includes $5 million for the Temporary Publics Works Grant Program. This will help fund Federal Way Urban Infrastructure. (Stimulus package for the City of Federal Way)
Building for the Arts Grants: The Senate Construction Budget also included $325,000 in grant money for Federal Way. These funds will go to the construction of the Federal Way Performing Arts Center.
Triangle Funding: Funding for the I-5, SR 161 and SR 18 Triangle Project was kept intact in the Senate Transportation Budget. This maintains $109 million for the Triangle Project.
Pacific Highway: The Senate Transportation budget included $1.3million in funding for improvements on Pacific Highway between Dash Point Rd and 312th St.
This Week’s Visitors
I am always happy to meet with visitors from my area. Some of my visitors this week were:
· John Owens of Hallmark Manor a nursing facility in Federal Way
· Battalion Chief Rick Chaney from the Federal Way Fire Fighters