Stand with the Governor

The next 60 days will define what Washington State stands for.

The 2010 Washington State Legislative Session begins today in Olympia, and lawmakers face the difficult task of closing our state’s $2.6 billion budget gap. They have two options: make more spending cuts or raise more money.

Governor Gregoire and Democratic leadership know we can’t afford more spending cuts. They know that an "all-cuts" budget would severely damage our state’s core services like education, health care, and programs for the poor and elderly -- services already hurt during last year’s budget process. That’s why they’ll propose a more balanced approach to closing the shortfall, which will include finding new sources of revenue and closing tax loopholes.

However, they are under tremendous pressure to cave into "Eymanomics" - to slash funding for critical services, hurt millions of people and put our economic future at risk.

The budget process will be a battle. We need to stand behind Governor Gregoire and Democratic leadership. Please sign this petition telling them that we support their opposition to an all-cuts budget and favor their balanced approach to the state’s financial problems:

http://www.fusewashington.org/page/s/wademspetition

If the culture of Tim Eyman wins, the results would devastate our state and hurt our kids, our jobs, the vulnerable, and the environment. Governor Gregoire understands this. Last month, she released a supplemental budget that was required by law to include no new sources of revenue.

Her all-cuts budget eliminates the Basic Health Plan, an insurance program for the working poor. It also eliminates the General Assistance-Unemployable (GAU) program, a safety net for the disabled. It suspends funding for school-levy equalization, which aids poor school districts, and all-day kindergarten.

An all-cuts budget is not acceptable, and Governor Gregoire agrees. That’s why she’ll release a new budget tomorrow that will restore those services.

We need you to take action and show the governor that we support her opposition to an all-cuts budget. Please click on the following link and sign the petition:

http://www.fusewashington.org/page/s/wademspetition