A recent newspaper article prompted me to sit down and express my feelings about how difficult it must have been for Gov. Chris Gregoire to explain to students at the Clark County Skills Center why the state is facing more deep cuts to education.
The students must have sensed how agonizing it was for her to bring this bad news to them. After all, she has excelled in previous budgets in making K-12 and higher education a top priority. She fully understands the importance of giving our children an appropriate opportunity to compete in this global economy.
She told the students that over 50 percent of the budget goes to education and that much of the other 50 percent is off limits; federally mandated Medicaid, pensions, debt service, prisons, senior service programs and support to counties and cities for numerous programs including police and fire departments. Without new revenue her hands are tied.
The funding areas in education that are not protected by the State Constitution, Article 1X, and the Judge Doran decision (1977) are subject to cuts. These include levy equalization, school bussing, early childhood education and some others. (I personally would argue that all of these are basic for equality and fairness for every child).
We are all concerned about the appropriateness of state funding for certain government function. So, what should we concerned Washington citizens do?