The Washington state legislature is debating budget cuts of almost $4 billion, which would include reducing enrollment at state schools by 9,000 students. The cuts will likely be approved before the legislative session ends Sunday.
And the Oregonian has written that Oregon will be next. The state, they say, is in a more precarious position than Washington because of a heavy reliance on income tax, while the majority of Washington’s budget comes from sales taxes. The state government is trying to alleviate some of the burden with taxes on hospitals, gas and sins among others, but Gov. Ted Kulongoski is quoted in the article saying: “The magnitude of this is so large you cannot tax your way out of this. It is going to be a reduction of service.”
D-day on this is May 15, when the budget forecast from state economists come in. You’ll be hearing more, I reckon.