Opposing budgets offered in Legislature

OLYMPIA -- Offering vastly different approaches to college enrollment and health-care funding, legislative leaders in each party released proposals for the state budget yesterday.

Majority Democrats in the House proposed boosting higher education enrollment funding by nearly $29 million -- or enough for nearly 4,800 full-time students.

That's more than 11 times the funding boost proposed by Majority Senate Republicans, who would allow for 227 new enrollments in high-demand fields only -- and private colleges would be allowed to compete for that money.

Ridgefield Sen. Joe Zarelli, budget writer for Senate Republicans, said better planning should be done before the Legislature makes major adjustments in college spending. "Every year we argue about how much money for higher ed, but nobody really knows what we're going to get in the end of the day," Zarelli said. "What we ought to be planning for is the next six years."

Not surprisingly, House Democrats' lead budget writer was sharply critical of the GOP's conservative approach.

"The Senate has turned its back on our new economy," said Seattle Rep. Helen Sommers, House Democrats' budget chief. "It's turned its back on what we're hearing from business (is needed:) To provide the work force."

Senate Republicans proposed fewer policy changes to the two-year budget, and said their proposal would be the slowest growing budget in state history, with only $69 million in new spending. It would retain nearly $400 million in reserves.

But their proposal did include one dramatic -- and immediately controversial -- cut in subsidies for some poor people considered "unemployable."

House Democrats left about half as much in general reserves, although they kept more in a state health care account's reserve. The House proposal includes a $225 million net spending increase, including boosts in health care, state worker benefits and higher education.

Both proposals provided for 50-cent per hour pay raises for 26,000 in-home health-care workers.

The supplemental budget is an update of the two-year, $23 billion budget lawmakers approved last year, essentially second-year adjustments. Both chambers plan to approve their plans tomorrow. After that, legislative leaders and Democratic Gov. Gary Locke's office will negotiate behind closed doors. The session adjourns March 11.

In a prepared statement, Locke said he was "disappointed and surprised" by Senate Republicans' proposal to impose time limits on $339 monthly cash grants for people who can't work because of a physical, developmental or mental disability. Especially strict on non-citizens, the Senate plan would kick an estimated 4,100 people off General Assistance Unemployable. (During tougher budget cycles, Locke has previously proposed cutting the program.)

Zarelli said his budget targeted that program because it is among the fastest growing drains on the state budget. Those who truly are "unemployable," he said, can be switched to other programs.

Tony Lee, community action director for the Fremont Public Association, a social service agency, said, "Many of them are refugees fleeing political persecution. What do the Republicans expect them to do, get a job? It's totally inappropriate."

Here are some other highlights of yesterday's proposals:

Higher Education: Senate Republicans would add $2.5 million to allow public and private colleges to enroll an additional 227 full-time students to study in high-demand fields. They would boost state financial aid grants by $4.9 million, allocate $2 million for health professional scholarships and spend $100,000 studying long-term higher education funding alternatives.

House Democrats would provide an additional $16.1 million to increase enrollment generally, although the colleges would not be restricted in how they used the money. In addition, they would give another $12.8 million specifically to boost enrollment in high-demand fields. They would boost funding for state need grants by $3 million.

K-12: Both chambers would leave education funding largely unchanged, except that House Democrats would cover more of the cost of health insurance benefits for teachers and other state workers.

Senate Republicans proposed a 1 percent pay raise for classified school employees.

Health Care: Senate Republicans would reduce premiums for poor children receiving medical, dental and vision care through Medicaid.

House Democrats would eliminate the premiums in families with incomes up to twice the federal poverty level, or about $2,500 per month for a family of three. They would slow growth in premiums for families earning more.

P-I reporter Angela Galloway can be reached at 360-943-3990 or angelagalloway@seattlepi.com P-I reporter JenniferLloyd contributed to this report.

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