March 31, 2009
By Josh Feit at 4:26 pm
King County Council Member Larry Phillips called the House transportation budget “unacceptable.” Phillips, a Sound Transit Board Member (and candidate for King County Executive), has been on fire for the last few days about the Senate transportation budget because it did not include about $30 million to prep I-90 for light rail. The House transportation [...] read more →
By FoodNerd at 2:44 pm
A sloth-like sensibility may have started my Spring Break, but the unfortunate extraction of two decayed molars guaranteed that no cooking, no consumption of anything solid would occur for the entire week. Cooking was, thus, left as a vicarious experience. And who best to turn to? Anthony Bourdain. It should be no surprise that I [...] read more →
By Josh Feit at 2:29 pm
These paper grave stones—R.I.P. social services—went up on the lawn between the House and Senate office buildings after today’s House budget press conference. They were quickly removed by security. read more →
By Josh Feit at 2:15 pm
“You’ve heard of trickle down economics. This is trickle down pain.” —House Education Appropriations Chair and Ways and Means Committee member, Rep. Kathy Haigh (D-35, Shelton, Bremerton), at this morning’s House budget press conference This was Rep. Haigh’s half-hearted, positive spin on the budget ($4 billion in cuts) as she pointed out that the decisions [...] read more →
By Steven at 1:34 pm
Given this morning’s budget announcement, it’s appropriate that today’s the day we’re kicking off our new weekly series of interviews with all-stars who work for non-profits. (You know, those groups that are taking in on the chin in this year’s budget.) Steven Blum kicks off ”Money Where Mouth Is” interviewing Stacy DeLong, a tireless organizer [...] read more →
By Josh Feit at 12:43 pm
Niki Sullivan at TVW’s The Capitol Record has a nice running report on today’s House budget press conference. The House’s $30-billion budget proposal cuts about $4 billion worth of programs. Legislators faced an estimated $9 billion shortfall. Cuts include: Health and human services $1.5 billion K-12 education $1 billion Higher education $683 million Natural resources $107 million [...] read more →
By Josh Feit at 8:08 am
1. A Budget of their Own: Today at 10 am, the state House follows up yesterday’s all-cuts Senate budget announcement by unveiling their version. Expect more of the same (if not harsher.) 2. Senate Budget Footnote: They selflessly suspended per diems for Senators and Reps … If and only during a Special Session. A bit of incentive [...] read more →
March 30, 2009
By Josh Feit at 6:06 pm
The latest press release is in re: the state Senate budget proposal. This one is from the Children’s Alliance. And while, their statement is more measured than the other communiques that have come in this afternoon (they got a lot of what they wanted like a prized children’s health program—thanks in part to the Feds—and [...] read more →
By Josh Feit at 4:33 pm
The stack of press releases (re: the state budget) is growing. Here’s another one. This angry dispatch comes from the Washington Low Income Housing Alliance. It’s short and sweet, so here it is in full: SENATE MAKES POOR CHOICES IN RECESSION BUDGET SEATTLE—Affordable housing advocates say the Senate’s budget, which cuts healthcare, assistance for [...] read more →
By Chris Kissel at 3:46 pm
In his February budget proposal, President Obama included a cap-and-trade system that requires corporations to purchase government permits if they want to continue to produce greenhouses gases. This week, Congress has begun re-doing President Obama’s budget (they’ve cut as much as $15 billion in Obama recommendations, The Washington Post says) and now it looks like Rep. [...] read more →
By Josh Feit at 3:01 pm
…And next in, it’s NARAL Pro-Choice Washington, reacting to a $1 million cut in family planning money. NARAL executive director Karen Cooper, like SEIU, gets right to the point: “If these family planning funds are not restored, the consequences will be felt not only by the women of our state, but by taxpayers as well,” [...] read more →
By Josh Feit at 2:11 pm
It’s a big budget day in the state Senate today. I couldn’t make it to Oly for the press conference, so here’s reliable AP reporter Curt Woodward’s article on the senate budget. I will say, Woodward’s article comes with an odd headline (in the P.I. anyway) about “tax hikes.” Tax hikes, in this instance, mean [...] read more →
