As Washington State grapples with a budget seriously impacted by the current economy, drastic measures will need to be taken by those responsible for producing the budget. In the interest of us being an informed citizenry, here are two news pieces that are of concern to responsible boaters.
Personally, I’m conflicted, as the need for social services and support is more than just important, and many of the cuts appear to be attempts to free up funds for this. But there is also a cost in doing this.
You study these pieces, and other material to which you have access, you decide, and you act. And that’s being responsible, so good on you!
The first piece is a joint press release by the People for Puget Sound, Conservation Northwest, Washington Conservation Voters, and Washington Environmental Council.
The Washington State Senate released a proposed budget today that would undermine environmental protections essential to making Washington a healthy place for families to live. The proposed budget includes deep cuts for many important public interest programs and the environment is no exception.
“As a community, our top priority is to ensure that the current budget crisis doesn’t undermine the qualities that make Washington special,” said Mo McBroom, Policy Director of the Washington Environmental Council. “Our state’s natural resources and quality of life help us attract and retain businesses essential to our economic recovery.”
“We understand that there will be real and serious cuts,” added Bruce Wishart, Policy Director for People For Puget Sound. “However, these cuts go too deep. The proposed budget means more toxins in our water, more pollution in our air, and loss of wildlife habitat. These are essential public health and quality of life measures that will cost more down the road to remedy. We need to preserve the core functions of our natural resource agencies so they have the manpower to help protect Washington’s air, water, and wildlife.”
We rely on the state to ensure that the water we drink is safe, the air we breathe is clean, and to clean up toxic spills. The reductions in the natural resource budgets will make it challenging for state agencies to meet some of their most essential functions. The proposed state budget would:
Leave our water and coastal areas more susceptible to devastating pollution like oil spills. Weakening of the state oil spills program for the Puget Sound and costal beaches– a $1.9 million reduction will mean 135 fewer vessels boarded and inspected and fewer oil response drills in our waterways. The Oil Spill Oversight Council will also be eliminated.
Reduce public participation in toxic cleanups, which has been a cornerstone of Washington’s way of life. The entire $2 million program is eliminated for public participation grants making it impossible for the public to have a meaningful role in decision making for toxic cleanup in their back yards.
Harm efforts to protect our water quality by elimination of the Water Quality Account which provides the money for local water quality projects around the state like sewage treatment plants. 18 staff would be lost in the Department of Ecology’s water quality program.
Decrease our capacity to clean up Puget Sound. 7 out of 35 Puget Sound clean up staff would be cut in Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Lose experts where they’re critically needed. 75% of scientists for the Forest and Fish rules would be cut, which severely hampers the state’s ability to respond on salmon recovery issues. 73% of staffing around Watershed science would be eliminated, which hampers the state’s ability to respond on salmon recovery issues, as well as around sprawl
Increase risk of fires and infestation in our forests. Due to the elimination of the Department of Natural Resources’ Forest Health Program there would be increased risk of forest fires and infestation of invasive bugs and diseases. Fire protection is reduced by almost $5 million increasing risk of property damage and loss to our timber industry.
Decrease our ability to plan for Washington’s future with a 1/3 cut of Growth Management Act assistance to local governments. Growth Management Act hearing boards have been cut from 3 to 1.
This second is an elert from the Recreational Boaters Association of Washington (RBAW).
As we enter the last four weeks of the regular legislative session (they must adjourn by midnight, Sunday April 26th) the real battles are getting underway. Our bill- the boating improvements act or 2SSB 5691- has been taken hostage by Rep. Jeannie Darneille, the chair of the House General Government Appropriations committee, as part of the opening act in the fight over diverting the Recreation Resource Account- the boaters' un-refunded gas tax monies- to the general fund to provide more monies for social services. Just an opening shot in the budget war. We are waiting to see the status of funding for 2SSB 5691 in the Senate budget, then will propose appropriate action to be taken in support of this legislation.
The budgets:
This coming week is when the action really begins as the Senate, then the House, roll out operating and capital budgets. It is expected that we are going to see very negative impacts on State Parks and outdoor recreation. We may see forty state parks proposed to be closed, and tens of millions of dollars moved from dedicated accounts (in operating and capital) that are funded by users- boaters, trail users, hunters, fishers, and others in the outdoor community- to the general fund to support social services.
As budgets are released, specific information will be provided. The Senate is releasing its operating budget at 10:30am on Monday. The House will follow suit at 10am on Tuesday. Capital budgets will be released later in the week.
I am not going to encourage attendance at the hearings. First of all, these hearings are usually referred to as "cattle calls" and for good reason. You will wait- possibly for hours- to be able to give a one or two minute bit of testimony. With the current budgets, an effort will be made by legislators to back you into supporting a major new tax package to restore the cuts. A select few who know how to dance this dance will probably testify. The best way for the grassroots to impact the process will be to light up the toll-free legislative hotline with calls to legislators and the Governor.
Keep for future reference- the toll-free legislative hotline number is 1-800-562-6000. It is open 8am to 8pm, Monday through Friday, and 9am to 1pm on Saturdays. The operator will take your message, identify your legislators for you, and also deliver the message to your legislators and Governor Gregoire.
After we see the budget details, we will craft sample messages, and include those in the Tuesday update.
The coming week's schedule, as we know it now, is as follows:
Monday 10:30AM - Release of Senate operating budget.
Tuesday 10:00AM - Release of House operating budget; 1:30PM - Senate Ways & Means hearing on operating budget;1:30AM - House General Government Appropriations work session on the part of the House operating budget that includes natural resources; 3:30PM - House Ways & Means hearing on operating budget.
Wednesday Sometime - release of House capital budget.
Thursday Sometime (possibly) - release of Senate capital budget; 1:30PM - House Capital Budget hearing on capital budget. We do not yet know when Senate Ways & Means will have a hearing on the capital budget, although it meets at 1:30pm both Thursday and Friday.
Jim King, RBAW lobbyist
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