PAUL SCHRAG: STATE LEVEL CUTS ARE BAD >>>

And you thought the county budget situation was bad.

If Senate Democrats’ budget proposal is any indication, the impacts of proposed cuts at the state level will be deep and widespread â€" felt heavily in education at all levels, in social services, and state employment. What’s more concerning, however, is how cuts by the state will be felt on the local level.

The recently unveiled 2009-2011 budget recommendations would use $3 billion in federal stimulus money, part of Washington’s Rainy Day savings, reallocation of some capital project funds, and a substantial wage freeze for state and public school employees. After all that, they only have to cut an estimated $3.85 billion from various state-funded programs. Under the Senate Dems’ plan, about 7,000 state and public school jobs would be cut, college enrollment would be cut by 10,500, as well as state-run Basic Health funding, and several other state-funded health care programs, including care for state employees. The Basic Health Plan, which serves low-income families, would be cut by $250 million, reducing the number of people covered from 106,000 to 60,000. Funding for public schools would be cut by $1.2 billion. 

Ouch.

Read the rest of my findings on the Weekly Volcano Web site.