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House Republican budget
leader releases 'top ten' budget ideas for improving state's budget
outlook
'We can either change the way
government delivers services, or we can continue with broken promises,
drastic cuts, and rollercoaster spending,' says Alexander
Rep. Gary Alexander, R-Olympia, released today his
top ten ideas for improving Washington state's budget outlook over the
next biennium and into the next decade.
"We have to look at doing some things differently," said
Alexander. "We're still stuck using the same failed policies
that led to a $9 billion budget shortfall last session and which will
lead to another $9 billion – or more – shortfall in 2011. We can
either change the way government delivers services, or we can continue
with broken promises, drastic cuts, and rollercoaster spending.
"My hope is that by discussing these ideas now, members of the
Legislature and the governor's budget staff can begin thinking about how
we can improve the the way state government is run," said
Alexander. "I'll be working with my colleagues over the
next few months to see how we can implement change within a budgeting
system that helped create the mess we are in now."
Alexander's budget solutions include:
1. Reorganization:
There needs to be a complete review of the reorganization of state
government service delivery in Washington State, starting with
Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) and the newly named
Department of Commerce.
2. Higher Education:
Take the emphasis off bricks and mortar and put more focus on distance
learning through technology. Develop a more comprehensive and
cohesive master plan that links the Higher Education Coordinating Board
(HECB) closer to the Community and Technical College Board.
3. K-12 Education:
Do not defer the beginning funding of HB 2261 to the 2013-15 Biennium.
If this is the panacea for our new definition of basic education, then
there is an obligation to prepare and implement a funding plan beginning
much sooner. That plan should replace the Student Achievement Fund
and the Education Legacy Trust Account, not augment them.
4. Health Care:
We cannot continue to operate a health care system in Washington state
in its current form. We do not match service delivery and payment
plans with the acuteness of care or the ability to pay. We must
start over and implement the recommendations of the Blue Ribbon
Commission that were incorporated in SB 5930 with no modifications.
Make sure to include Strategy II that dealt with giving individuals,
families, and small businesses more choice in selecting private
insurance plans, offering a less costly alternative designed at young
adults, and restructuring the Basic Health Plan to change eligibility
requirements. Allow enrollees to use plans other than those
offered by the Health Care Authority, and put more focus on lifestyles,
cost sharing, and utilization.
(To view the House Republican
Caucus health care plan,
click here.)
5. Public Safety:
Our public safety policies are reactionary. Something bad happens
to someone and a bill is proposed to address it. Getting tough on
crime is a good slogan and an important component of protecting our
families, businesses, and communities, but it is costly. This is a
growing drain on our state resources. We must do two things:
number one - focus more attention on the prevention and deterring of
crimes; and number two - make this the purest form of user fees for
those that continue to violate our laws. Beef up the monetary
penalties and give the state the ability to sweep accounts, confiscate
property, and make it so "crime does not pay."
6. Economy:
The most important criteria to a strong economic recovery is to agree on
a bi-partisan basis that the best way to provide the necessary resources
to conduct government services is to revitalize the business and jobs
that will generate the revenue. This means taking a very strong
look at our regulatory climate and providing incentives for growth and
investment where possible. Take it one major step forward - stop
talking about the unfairness of a B&O tax based on the gross rather than
the net, and change the law.
7. Pensions:
It is not a zero sum game. We have an obligation to our retired,
and current and future public employees to fully fund ALL our pension
systems. Put together a responsible schedule to pay off the
unfunded liability on Plan 1 and stick to it. Make it the same
priority as paying debt services.
8. Privatization:
What does it take for Washington State to get serious about looking at
contracting out services that the private sector is better able to do?
Form a task force of business and public representatives, including
profit and non-profit, to review the opportunities for privatization –
and then implement their recommendations. The potential savings
would be in the hundreds of millions of dollars.
9. Boards and
Commissions: The real value of the passage of ESB 5995
in the 2009 session is the establishment of criteria for elimination or
consolidation. Expand this to include criteria for establishing
boards and commissions. It seems for every one eliminated, two
more crop up. A thorough review with solid criteria could cut the
number of boards and commissions in half and save $5 to $10 million.
10. Sustainability:
Pass legislation that says the approval budget must demonstrate a
sustainable outlook for a six-year period. Require the Economic
Forecast Council and the Office of Financial Management to prepare a
six-year forecast, of which the Biennial Budget is the first two years.
Do not allow legislation to be passed with a future implementation date
if the fiscal note would create an unsustainable budget.
# # #
For more information, contact:
Brendon Wold, Senior
Information Officer: (509) 921-2356
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