Last year, at the height of the recession, Washington state lawmakers faced a nine billion dollar budget deficit which they filled with a combination of cuts and one time only money from the federal government.
Now that deficit has grown an additional $2.6 billion and we're told it's likely to continue to grow until employment picks up. In her "all cuts" budget proposal in December, Gov. Gregoire eliminated a number of safety net programs, including the Basic Health Plan. But both the governor and Democratic leaders in the legislature say they will increase taxes and fees to reduce the number of cuts.
Even Republican leaders say there is a need to save important social programs but they differ with Democrats about where that money should come from.
Should the state get out to the retail liquor business and how much money would that really save? What programs should be kept and what, if any, can we afford to lose? What about putting a sales tax on services that are not taxed now?
Could taxes on junk food, like candy and soft drinks help balance the budget? Should students in the state's higher education system face another year of double digit tuition increases?
Tell us what concerns you about the upcoming state legislative session and why you hope it will and will not do.
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