speach

Budget deficits monopolies the conversation on Tuesday evening, when elected officials from Legislative District 9 spoke in Honors Hall at Washington State University.

The Thomas S. Foley Institute at WSU hosted the opportunity for students and community members to meet their representatives.

District 9 Sen. Mark Schoesler as well as Reps. Susan Fagan and Joe Schmick took time to explain the economic situation and answer questions for an audience of about 40.

The most senior of them, Schoesler, has been a part of Washington State legislation since1992.

Schoesler explained the history of economic changes over the years and how we got to the defect we are now.

“After the 2001 dot-com bubble burst they used short term fixes,” Schoesler said.

The state is in a difficult situation when it comes to the budget.

“When there is 10 percent unemployed, it’s hard because spending goes down and use of state benefits increases,” Schoesler said.

With the state spending more money than it has in the past, the budget shortfall is only growing at this point.

At the end of last session, the legislature faced a $9 million deficit, Schoesler said.

Schmick explained that Washington State was the only state that increased Labor & Industries’ worker compensation. Due to this many companies, such as Boeing Co., chose to move out of the state.

“That might not sound like a lot, but the employees and families all move causing a larger affect,” Schmick said.

Regulating state spending on health care for the already partly insured children is one budget cut Schoesler proposed in order to reduce the deficit.

Audience member, Dorothy Swanson, democrat, does not agree with Schmick about reducing workers’ compensation.

“The money from workers comp. is being spent on everyday expenditures and being put back into the community and those local businesses,” Swanson said.

Many others attending the meeting voiced concerns on how exactly they plan to balance the budget and at what cost to tax payers.

Schmick also proposed lessening the days allotted for workers composition for injuries in the work force. Washington’s average time loss for injuries is 260 days. He compared this to Oregon’s average of 60 days, and the country’s average of 90.

All the representatives admitted was that it will be a challenging year and the state needs to reevaluate the economic plan.

After Gov. Chris Gregoire releases a proposed budget for the upcoming legislative session the representatives said they will know more about how the state might handle the budget shortfall.

Audience members expressed concern about topics including public safety and tuition increases.

Although there are proposed tuition increases, Washington State has one of the lowest rates of student debt at graduation, Schmick said.

“Tuition increase is a tragedy to students both in short and long term,” Fagan said.




Q) As a student my tuition has increased almost 30% since my freshman year. I’ve heard rumors about tuition rising up to 40% next year due to the budget cuts, what is your plan in that case?
Q) How do you expect society to progress and students to get jobs if you continue to raise tuition and make state schools not accessible to a majority of people.
Q) what do you plan to do to combat the deficit.


Schoesler, Mark (360) 786-7620
Fagan, Susan (360) 786-7942
Schmick, Joe (360) 786-7844

Audience member Dorothy Swanson (preferred not to give personal contact information)
I talked to many other audience members but did not use their interviews in my article