Monthly Archives: January 2010

Senate Ways and Means Hears Furlough and Salary Bills

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Tuesday afternoon many state agencies, programs, and services were focused on the work of the Senate Ways & Means Committee.

Among the bills before the Committee this afternoon was Senate Bill 6503.

Senate Bill 6503 would:

– Direct state agencies to close one day per month from March 2010
through June 2011.

– Allow exemptions from statewide closure dates for state corrections and social service institutions, child protective services, law enforcement, military operations, emergency management, state parks and ferries, higher education classroom instruction, state liquor stores, unemployment insurance, workers compensation, state legislative agencies and the Office of Financial Management during legislative sessions, and employees necessary to protect state assets and public safety.

– Recognize that the state agency closures identified in the bill will result in the temporary layoff (furlough) and reduction of compensation of affected state employees.

In addition, the Committee heard public testimony on Senate Bill 6382 which extends the prohibition on salary and wage increases for exempt and Washington Management Service employees of state agencies and institutions of higher learning.

Representatives from higher education expressed concerns regarding the potential cost savings assumed by both bills as well as the difficulty in implementing the requirements of the bill.

Senate Hears Impact of Governor’s Proposed 2010 Supplemental Budget

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Last week the key budget committees of the Washington State House focused on the impacts of the Governor’s proposed 2010 supplemental budget, including her “new budget”.

This week the Senate appropriation committee, Senate Ways & Means, will take on the same focus. Last week Governor Gregoire testified before Senate Ways & Means regarding her proposed 2010 supplemental budget and support for new revenue, this week the Committee will hear from the public.

This afternoon The Council of Presidents and representatives from each of the four-year public baccalaureate institutions testified before the Senate Ways & Means Committee regarding the impact to the baccalaureate sector.

Evergreen focused testimony on the impact of the reductions to date and the impact of additional cuts on students, faculty, and the institution proposed in the Governor’s 2010 supplemental budget. Evergreen emphasized the impact of the proposed reductions and eliminations of state financial aid programs on Greeners.

Today’s public hearing before the Senate Ways & Means Committee set the tone for the week. Several policy bills will be heard in the House and Senate that, if implemented, would impact the state budget. Included among these bills are SB 6355/HB 2655 which implements the Higher Education Coordinating Board (HECB) system design report; HB 2822 which includes tuition/fees in institutional budget proposals to the HECB; SB 6503 which mandates state agency closures throughout the year; and SB 6382 which restricts compensation.

Legislature Week 2: What is Happening

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Several work sessions and public hearings are scheduled on critical issues that impact higher education the second week of session. To learn more follow the links below.

This week the focus of the appropriations committees (i.e. Senate Ways & Means and House Ways & Means) will be a review of the Governor’s proposed supplemental budgets, both capital and operating.

In addition, the higher education policy committees (i.e. House Higher Education and Senate Higher Education & Workforce Development) plan to tackle several critical issues impacting Washington’s institutions of higher learning, including system design, tuition policy, and financial aid.

Education Appropriations Listens to Higher Education and Jobs Bill Moves

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This afternoon, the House Education Appropriations Committee heard testimony from the The Council of Presidents and representatives from each of the four-year public baccalaureate institutions.

Evergreen focused testimony on the impact of previous reductions to date and the potential impact of additional cuts on students, faculty, and the institution proposed in the Governor’s 2010 supplemental budget. Evergreen emphasized the impact of the proposed reductions and eliminations of state financial aid programs on Greeners.

At the same time the House Capital Budget Committee held an executive session on House Bill 2561, a bill that Evergreen supports. House Bill 2561 now moves to the House Floor for consideration and a vote.

Budget, Budget, Budget

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Budget was the key word today at the Legislature. The House Ways & Means Committee held a public hearing on the Governor’s proposed 2010 supplemental budget. The House Education Appropriations Committee held a work session on the same issue. Finally, House Capital Budget held a public hearing on a jobs creation bill that would benefit education in Washington.

Governor Gregoire addressed the House Ways & Means Committee this afternoon. She shared the challenges posed in her all-cuts budget and hopes she has for restoration of some programs and services through additional state and federal revenues.

The Council of Presidents and representatives from each of the four-year public baccalaureate institutions testified before the House Committee. Evergreen focused testimony on the impact of the reductions to date and the impact of additional cuts on students, faculty, and the institution proposed in the Governor’s 2010 supplemental budget. Evergreen emphasized the impact of the proposed reductions and eliminations of state financial aid programs on Greeners.

On the capital front, The Evergreen State College provided testimony in support of House Bill 2561. Senate Bill 2561 would allow the State Finance Committee to issue $861 million in general obligation bonds, to be known as Jobs Act Bonds, for the purpose of creating jobs by constructing capital improvements that lead to energy-related cost savings in public schools, state colleges and universities, and other public facilities. House Bill 2561 establishes a competitive grant process for public schools and higher education institutions to attain the funds bonded in the bill.

Evergreen supports House Bill 2561 because of its focus on sustainable energy projects and education. In addition, HB 2561 provides the opportunity for Evergreen to discuss with legislators the value of investing in sustainability focused projects and programs, such as Evergreen’s Biomass Gasification Project.

Finally, The Evergreen State College attended a work session of the House Education Appropriations Committe focused on the impact to education of the Governor’s proposed 2010 supplemental budget.

House Higher Education Talks Tuition and Budget

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The House Higher Education Committee today held a work session that focused on tuition and the Governor’s proposed 2010 supplemental budget.

Representatives from the Governor’s Office along with the Higher Education Coordinating Board and the Washington Student Association (WSA) provided invited testimony to the Committee regarding their concerns and hopes about tuition policy and budget this session.

George an Evergreen student shared his personal story with legislators along with several other students organized through WSA.

Legislators raised questions regarding higher education costs, the level of budget reductions passed in the 2009 session, and efforts towards worker retraining.

Governor Releases New Budget: Restores Some Cuts and Seeks Revenue

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Yesterday, Governor Gregoire submitted a new budget that she believes “better reflects Washington values and principles”.

The budget focuses on restoring cuts through additional revenue, either from the federal government or state revenue, that would benefit K-12, public safety, higher education, and set a stage for the state to move forward.

As it relates to higher education, the Governor restores $146.4 million to the Higher Education State Need Grant, an amount that restores full funding to the State Need Grant. Eligibility with this restoration would cap 70 percent of the state’s median family income (MFI) and serve an additional 12,300 students. The grant awards would also be restored to the levels enacted in the 2009-11 budget.

The Governor does not restore funding to any of the other state financial aid programs, including State Work Study, nor does she restore funding to 2-year and 4-year institutions.

The Governor proposed restoration of funds to the state budget by seeking additional revenues. She plans to submit proposals to introduce greater tax fairness by closing loopholes and seek additional resources through the Federal Medicaid Assistance Percentage (FMAP), fiscal stabilization dollars, and possibly waivers for the Basic Health Plan. The extent to which federal dollars will be available will not be know until the President gives his State of the Union address at the end of January. In addition, it is unknown at this time whether the fiscal stabilization dollars required to restore cuts to the State Need Grant would be permanent or one-time dollars. It is important to note that the fiscal stabilization dollars received for the 2009-11 biennium were one-time infusions.

Even with the restoration of these programs in higher education and others in basic health and K-12 the Governor’s proposed budget for 2010 contains more cuts than revenues to address the $2.6 state shortfall.

Governor Shares Her Vision of the State for the Next Year

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Governor Gregorie addressed the state this afternoon in her annual State of the State. In her address she called out the challenges Washington has and continues to face combined with solutions that Washington should explore to move the state forward.

Gregoire argued that jobs are the way out of this recession for Washington and Washingtonians. She proposed the creation of 40,000 new jobs this year.

How will this be done? By attracting $2 billion in investments, building on a long tradition in Washington of attracting capital and intellectual investments, especially in areas such as biotechnology, health care, and clean energy.

In addition, the Governor is supporting an employee tax credit for each full-time hire a business makes, an investment in a green building program focused on retrofitting, and efforts in streamlining permit processes.

Governor Gregoire also spoke to streamlining government. Included in this effort is the elimination of over 70 boards and proposed legislation to eliminate several more. In addition, she proposed merging state agencies and moving programs to better align missions and service to citizens and communities.

Finally, she asked the Legislature to budget with Washingtonians in mind. She urged the Legislature to meet Washingtonians half way and reach out to the vulnerable, especially those who need the most.

Governor Gregoire stated that the balanced budget proposed in December closes the door to higher education to 12,300 students. She called for the restoration of the State Need Grant, the provision of tuition setting flexibility to ensure the competitiveness of higher education institutions, and the appropriation of dollars for worker training at the community and technical colleges.

She closed by stating that she plans to release a budget this afternoon that includes revenue options to offset the all-cuts budget released in December, which will include federal dollars, tax revenues, or a combination of both.

Governor Gregoire’s State of the State address

Senators Take in the Serious Budget Impacts on Higher Education

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The Senate Higher Education Committee held a work session this morning focused on the Governor’s proposed 2010 supplemental budget for higher education and more specifically, the impacts to state financial aid programs.

Tim Yowell, Higher Education Fiscal Analyst for Senate Ways & Means and John Klacik, Director of Student Financial Assistance for the Higher Education Coordinating Board (HECB) provided information to the Committee on the budget and state financial aid.

Yowell provided an overview and impact of the Governor’s proposed 2010 supplemental budget on higher education within the context of the reductions and tuition increases already in place.

Klacik also provided an overview of the impact on state financial aid to students. Klacik concluded with a philosophy that the HECB hopes the Legislature will take into account as they finalize the budget and move policy forward:

(1) Preserve current activities at reduced levels. Avoid suspending programs unless the goal is to permanently eliminate these programs;
(2) Give priority to need-based programs
(3) Understand that each program has levers and options that can be managed during these tight fiscal times
(4) Work with the HECB to determine options

Legislature Week 1: What’s Happening

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The Legislature is doing anything but dragging its feet this session. Several work sessions and public hearings are scheduled on critical issues that impact higher education. To learn more follow the links below.

This week the focus of the appropriations committees (i.e. Senate Ways & Means and House Ways & Means will be a review of the Governor’s proposed supplemental budget, released in mid-December.

In addition, the higher education policy committees (i.e. House Higher Education and Senate Higher Education & Workforce Development) plan to tackle several critical issues impacting Washington’s institutions of higher learning, including high skills and wages, tuition policy, budget, governance, and technology.