Gregoire predicts 'truly ugly' cuts as state deficit nears $6 billion
Saturday, November 22, 2008 1:37 PM PST
By The Associated Press
Printable version
E-mail this articlePULLMAN, Wash. — Gov. Chris Gregoire says the ballooning state deficit could reach $6 billion, and will lead to spending cuts that are “truly ugly.”
Gregoire and other leaders learned last week that the budget deficit through mid-2011 is about $5.1 billion. That includes a shortfall of about $500 million in the current budget, which lasts through June.
The next state economic report, in early 2009, could push the shortfall even higher. The Moscow-Pullman Daily News and The Lewiston Tribune report that Gregoire says the deficit could reach $6 billion.
She’s unveiling a budget plan next month, and says: “I will come up with something that will look truly ugly, truly ugly.”
Gregoire’s pledged not to raise taxes, saying that’s the wrong step in an economic downturn.
Gondolapete wrote on Nov 22, 2008 1:53 PM:
" Well this is what happens when you drive away business because you are going to be the "Greenest" state there is..Democrats have ruined this country...and anyone that says otherwise is a complete fool.. "
~:sturgeon:~ wrote on Nov 22, 2008 1:55 PM:
" ...one wonders....will it get as ugly as this public servant willingly reducing HER income to help the cause.... "
Mrs. Pellwerds wrote on Nov 22, 2008 2:55 PM:
" Removing her from office would be the biggest "ugly" cut. "
CR RES. wrote on Nov 22, 2008 3:34 PM:
" WEll WHERE IS THAT RAINY DAY FUND THAT SHE SAID WE HAD?????? "
TDN Bad Boy wrote on Nov 22, 2008 4:32 PM:
" My only question is when will she admit 2 things: 1. That her $8 billion in spending increases in her first four years were ill advises. And 2. That her no new taxes pledge was ill advised and just a campaign ruse to beat Dino. Prediction: There is no way she will admit the first so the second is the on the way. I'll bet right now she and the Liberals in Olympia are devising a new tax plan. She has boxed herself in with her spending. My guess is she will continue to blame Pres. Bush and the Liberals will rally to her defense. Cowlitz County unemployment is headed for 10-12 percent, possibly higher and no prospects for improvement on the horizon. She has pushed this county to the brink of a depression. Yet the Liberals will staunchly defend her. Maybe we can hope that the puppet president needs a maid for his Cabinet. Heck he is rewarding everyone who endorsed him, Richardson and the Arizona Gov., our tax queen backed him early too. Can't they find something for her in DC? We would be better off than having her at the controls of our state for the next four years or until we recall her for raising taxes. "
Lance Johnson wrote on Nov 22, 2008 4:48 PM:
" She already raided and blew the Rainy Day fund a couple of months ago. She should come work for the City of longview. "
Louie wrote on Nov 22, 2008 5:06 PM:
" I too seem to remember we were putting away funds in a 'rainy day fund.' What the heck happened to them? "
kalamamom wrote on Nov 22, 2008 5:07 PM:
" She should cut the General Assistance Program. People whom can't work, or say that can't work - General Assistance Unemployable. I'm too fat to work, I have asthma, I have HEP C, I have PTSD, I have carpo tunnel, I have back pain and I can't work, that's what these folks are getting $349.00 per month for. Lot's of folks, getting our tax money every month for things that you and I live with everyday and work our asses off to pay for them.... ticks on the backside of our society. I say cut them off. $349.00 x 12 month = $4188 per year x a low est # people on the program 200,000 = $837,600,000.00 in one year! Wake up people these folks are sucking us dry! "
kalamamom wrote on Nov 22, 2008 5:31 PM:
" Also Folks I forgot to add that "immigrants" or "non-citizens" are eligible for this cash and medical program too. Check into it, google, General Assiatance Unemployable in Washington. This is a strickly state funded program, not federal funds. We can't get medical, but they can. "
Rural Citizen wrote on Nov 22, 2008 5:53 PM:
" Boy, it sure isn't hard trying to figure out who hasn't got a life in our town. Sitting there like spiders waiting for a fly to land in the web; you all suck the life out of the nation for sure. "
cheney119 wrote on Nov 22, 2008 6:05 PM:
" Attention chicken little the sky isn't falling! You know things are very likely to get better before they get too much worse. Relax. Move away from
Cowlitz County if you want to advance economically or intellectually. Cowlitz County is just about the bottom of the intellectual scale. "
Cowlitz County if you want to advance economically or intellectually. Cowlitz County is just about the bottom of the intellectual scale. "
vikingtwin5 wrote on Nov 22, 2008 6:38 PM:
" If the word "liberal" didn't exist, I think someone would be speechless. No need to mention names. And isn't it time we forgot about all this election and economy nonsense and started worrying about something really important? It's almost Dec. and we really need to get the Merry Christmas-Happy Holidays debate settled. "
Gondolapete wrote on Nov 22, 2008 8:26 PM:
" if the word "liberal" didnt exist, we would call them socialists..as there is no difference...you wanted this gov. you got her...congrats!!!!!!!!!!!! "
local wrote on Nov 22, 2008 9:09 PM:
" TDNBB: Im not sure where youre coming from when you say She has pushed this county to the brink of a depression. Gov. Chris Gregoire only oversees the State of Washington not the whole country. President George W. Bush has been in charge of our country for the past eight years and hes the one responsible for pushing it to the brink of depression. Maybe the dirty word liberal can be exchanged with right wing then you would be dead on. January 20, 2009 just cant get here fast enough for me. "
tally ho wrote on Nov 22, 2008 9:40 PM:
" Patty Murray should have been the one running for governor. Anything good that happens for Wash. is due to her fight for it in Congress, although Gregoire always takes credit for it. If you don't already have Patty's newsletter online you should sign up for that. It will really open your eyes and it isn't only her words telling us this, they also show video of her speeches in Congress.
To KalamaMom, not everyone on DSHS is a slugabug, there are a lot of seriously ill people, or ones who are caring for family members that cannot help being in the system. I volunteer for a non-profit organization and talk to a lot of them, it breaks your heart to hear some of their stories. Just remember, it could happen to you. "
To KalamaMom, not everyone on DSHS is a slugabug, there are a lot of seriously ill people, or ones who are caring for family members that cannot help being in the system. I volunteer for a non-profit organization and talk to a lot of them, it breaks your heart to hear some of their stories. Just remember, it could happen to you. "
Gondolapete wrote on Nov 22, 2008 10:02 PM:
" Patty Murray is a senator, not a congressman, or woman..whatever..she is subpar at best... "
tally ho wrote on Nov 23, 2008 1:03 AM:
" I know Patty Murray is a senator, I mispoke when I said congress. So sorry Gondolapete, not everyone can be perfect like you. And Patty is definitely not subpar, that's why it might behoove you to read her newsletters and view videos. You just might learn something. "
bucketball wrote on Nov 23, 2008 2:37 AM:
" Gondolapete, the Senate is one body of Congress or at least it was when I went to school. Yes, Patty Murray is a congresswoman. "
Resident wrote on Nov 23, 2008 5:25 AM:
" I kept telling people to vote for Rossi, but did you listen. Nope. This is what we now have to live with. "
feistyone wrote on Nov 23, 2008 6:30 AM:
" Promises, promises, promises. We have heard that before, promising not to raise taxes. If she has to make that many cuts it probably isn't going to start with her pay or anyone she works with's, pay. Too bad all the politicians don't have to live on some of OUR income. "
feistyone wrote on Nov 23, 2008 6:50 AM:
" To local, yes, Gregoire runs Washington and she does about the same as Bush. "
Gondolapete wrote on Nov 23, 2008 9:14 AM:
" to tally ho, I recall vividly when Senator Murray was praising Bin Laden for building schools..to bucketball, a Senator and a congress member are NOT the same thing...in fact one serves for 6 yrs, one for 2..NEXT!!!!! "
enlightened wrote on Nov 23, 2008 10:52 AM:
" States with Republican governors and republican senate and congressional majorities are sinking in debt as well. The entire country is circling the drain. Instead of whining and complaining let's hope with the new leadership our country will rise again. Deregulations and greed is what I believe toppled our comfort way of the life. Millions of job losses across the country. Irresponsible lending, and the high utilities for everyone. Our new admistration is designing innovative alternative energies and plans to rebuild our infrastructure.This is promising start to begin to shift the depressed economy for all of America. I am not a Gregoire fan, but blaming her entirely for the woes of the ecomony state wide are unjust. "
vikingtwin5 wrote on Nov 23, 2008 12:29 PM:
" Sorry, Pete, wrong again as usual. The Senate and the House of Representatives make up Congress. While members of the Senate generally are called Senators and members of the House are generally called Representatives or Congressman, the term Congressman can technically be applied to either. there are numerous reference works on the internet which will verify this. Didn't plan on getting into a hair-splitting nitpicking contest but you didn't seem to want to just let it go. "
bucketball wrote on Nov 23, 2008 1:00 PM:
" Gondolapete, yes there is a difference between a Senator and a Representative, but they are both congressman. Let me give you a lesson in Social Studies since you appearently missed that class. The Senate and House of Representatives are two bodies of Congress in the Legislative branch of the United States government. The main task they have is to make laws. Not knowing that I can't believe you even post politcal comments and definitely know now there is no argument with complete ignorance. If you still think a Senator is not part of Congress why don't you read a copy of the constitution instead of trying to tell me otherwise. NEXT... "
DW wrote on Nov 23, 2008 1:43 PM:
" They'll what they always do, first lie, and raise taxes or threaten to cut State Patrol, Fire, and Schools to intimidate us.....I hope you dolts that voted all democrat like what your getting. Can't wait to see what Obama's new administration has in store for us. Let's see, BHO will say, "My fellow Americans, I was truley not aware of how evil the Bush admistration was. Bush and his cronies have wrecked the economy of the entire planet earf. We will have to socialize the entire United States economy and business sector to survive. Taxes will have to be raised on anyone that have has a pulse. We are in dire straights because of the economic ideas of the radical right wing. We must take drastic action to survive." "
golfer wrote on Nov 23, 2008 2:22 PM:
" What do you neocons think the Bushwhacker does when he cuts taxes? He automatically takes out the scissors & starts cutting other programs to make up for his tax breaks, & you fools are the first to cry foul when it is your program that is getting cut. He can't seem to cut enough though as is evident of the highest deficit in the history of the United States. That is the same thing that double talk Rossi would have done, but the people were smart enough to see through his failed plan. "
Hauskapoika wrote on Nov 23, 2008 6:43 PM:
" Just a reminder of how government works:
Legislative, Executive, and Judicial branches. Legislative creates spending bills, Executive can sign or veto spending bills. Legislative rules on legal issues brought before it. Whether it is State or Federal, it is not the governor or president who really controls our economy - it is the Legislative branch. However, the executive branch can, and should, veto out of control spending bills by the legistlative branch. Gregoire and Bush didn't do enough of it, but will Obama? "
Legislative, Executive, and Judicial branches. Legislative creates spending bills, Executive can sign or veto spending bills. Legislative rules on legal issues brought before it. Whether it is State or Federal, it is not the governor or president who really controls our economy - it is the Legislative branch. However, the executive branch can, and should, veto out of control spending bills by the legistlative branch. Gregoire and Bush didn't do enough of it, but will Obama? "
ulu wrote on Nov 23, 2008 8:46 PM:
" Too bad we don't have the hot chick from Alaska for govenor. She would just wink, wink and use some of the oil money to keep us solvent. "
vikingtwin5 wrote on Nov 24, 2008 1:43 AM:
" to Pete; You have an excellent memory. Let's see if you vividly recall who trained and armed bin Laden and all the Islamic extremists in Afghanistan to the tune of billions of dollars. And what did all our money buy? al-qaeda and the Taliban. The enemy of my enemy is my friend I guess. btw, the correct answer is Ronald Reagan. "
Past Month's Most Commented Stories