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Head Start and Early Head Start services would be eliminated for approximately 1,000 children in Washington. In this photo President Obama visited a classroom to talk about the importance of universal pres-school in the United States. (Johnny Crawford/Atlanta Journal-Constitution/AP Photo)

Expect these automatic cuts in Washington state by Friday

February 24, 2013 @ 5:54 pm (Updated: 5:39 am - 2/25/13 )

We've been hearing about the impact of the potential federal cuts, the so-called "sequester" for weeks. Now the White House has listed a state-by-state breakdown of how we'd be impacted by the $85 billion in cuts that will kick in if Congress doesn't act.

Here is what it says will be cut this year alone in Washington state:

Teachers and Schools

Washington will lose approximately $11,606,000 in funding for primary and secondary education, putting around 160 teacher and aide jobs at risk. In addition about 11,000 fewer students would be served and approximately 50 fewer schools would receive funding.

Education for Children with Disabilities: In addition, Washington will lose approximately $11,251,000 in funds for about 140 teachers, aides, and staff who help children with disabilities.

Child Care: Up to 800 disadvantaged and vulnerable children could lose access to child care.

Work-Study Jobs: Around 440 fewer low income students in Washington would receive aid to help them finance the costs of college and around 180 fewer students will get work-study jobs that help them pay for college.

Head Start: Head Start and Early Head Start services would be eliminated for approximately 1,000 children in Washington

Environment

Washington would lose about $3,301,000 in environmental funding to ensure clean water and air quality, as well as prevent pollution from pesticides and hazardous waste.

In addition, Washington could lose another $924,000 in grants for fish and wildlife protection.

Military Readiness

Approximately 29,000 civilian Department of Defense employees would be furloughed, reducing gross pay by around $173.4 million.

Army: Base operation funding would be cut by about $124 million.

Air Force: Funding for Air Force operations would be cut by about $3 million.

Navy: Cancel aircraft depot maintenance at Whidbey Island, a demolition project in Bremerton.

Law Enforcement and Public Safety

Washington will lose about $271,000 in Justice Assistance Grants that support law enforcement, prosecution and courts, crime prevention and education, corrections and community corrections, drug treatment and enforcement, and crime victim and witness initiatives.

Public Assistance and Health

Washington will lose about $661,000 in funding for job search assistance, referral, and placement.

Vaccines for Children: Around 2,850 fewer children will receive vaccines for diseases such as measles, mumps, rubella, tetanus, whooping cough, influenza, and Hepatitis B due to reduced funding for vaccinations of about $195,000.

Washington will lose approximately $642,000 in funds to help upgrade its ability to respond to public health threats including infectious diseases, natural disasters, and biological, chemical, nuclear, and radiological events.

Washington will lose about $1,740,000 in grants to help prevent and treat substance abuse, resulting in around 3800 fewer admissions to substance abuse programs.

The Washington State Department of Health will lose about $174,000 resulting in around 4,300 fewer HIV tests.

STOP Violence Against Women Program: Washington could lose up to $143,000 in funds that provide services to victims of domestic violence, resulting in up to 500 fewer victims being served.

Nutrition Assistance for Seniors: Washington would lose approximately $1,053,000 in funds that provide meals for seniors.

The statement from the White House briefly explains what it considers to be the problem in Congress with budget negotiations:

"Unfortunately, many Republicans in Congress refuse to ask the wealthy to pay a little more by closing tax loopholes so that we can protect investments that are helping grow our economy and keep our country safe. By not asking the wealthy to pay a little more, Republicans are forcing our children, seniors, troops, military families and the entire middle class to bear the burden of deficit reduction.

The President is determined to cut spending and reduce the deficit in a balanced way, but he won't stick the middle class with the bill. The President is willing to compromise, but on behalf the middle class he cannot accept a deal that undercuts their economic security."

Republicans say Mr. Obama deserves his share of the blame for the budget problems and Republican Senator John McCain calling on President Obama to convene a summit meeting to work out an agreement.

"I won't put all the blame on the president of the United States, but the president leads," says McCain. "The president should be calling us over somewhere — Camp David, the White House, somewhere — and sitting us down and trying to avert these cuts."

By LINDA THOMAS

Related: The smallest military cuts sting the most - local ROTC program in jeopardy

More from Linda Thomas

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Comments (84)


  • Add A Comment

  • Paul Kersey wrote...
    any cuts in Moochelle's
    February 24, 2013 5:55 pm
    Staff of servants? Looks like not everyone has "skin in the game".
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • dori monson fan wrote...
    cut it all!
    February 24, 2013 6:28 pm
    as long as their is funding for free obama phones all is good. btw can we call them ophones?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Drool wrote...
    Monson Sheep
    February 25, 2013 11:25 am
    Why don't you learn what the "Obamaphone" really is and how the program works.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Roark wrote...
    We pay for it
    February 25, 2013 11:49 am
    With added costs to our cell phone bills. Who decided giving away free phones was Ok? I didn't agree to have my phone bill increased to pay for it!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • maplefish wrote...
    Drool - Here's the TRUTH!
    February 25, 2013 12:23 pm
    www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpAOwJvTOio
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • aggrav8 wrote...
    Chicken Little
    February 24, 2013 6:56 pm
    The sky is falling! The sky is falling! A reduction in growth doesn't equal a spending cut. This freakout is ridiculous. If they had passed a budget, we wouldn't be here, now would we?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • dori monson fan wrote...
    their =
    February 24, 2013 7:15 pm
    there
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • ron prevost wrote...
    Now, let's see.........................
    February 24, 2013 7:19 pm
    1. The president proposed and pushed this 'sequester' 2 years ago. ..... and BOTH the democrats and republicans supported it overwhelmingly. (cooperation ???)

    2. A month ago, the president bledgained the House to approve his increased taxes on the wealthy (granted, with some compromise).

    3. And NOW the president blames this approaching 'disaster' on republicans for not FURTHER raising taxes, while refusing any possible compromise in spending.

    .

    Given all this, just why are we to believe that across the board cuts on only about 3% will result in disasters that will shut down the government, throw millions out of work and starve children throughout America? ... And that IF that all happens, 'it's not MY fault'.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Chuck Gould wrote...
    It's gonna be ugly. Bring it on.
    February 24, 2013 8:40 pm
    Some facts rather easily observed:

    1. The current level of spending is absolutely unsustainable unless taxes are increased correspondingly. I personally do not believe it would be in the country's best interest to increase taxes on any segment of society (other than the restoring the formerly prevailing logic that corporate dividends should be taxed like any other income).

    2. The Democrats and the Republicans will *never* reach agreement on a list of specific expenses to cut. The Republicans typically want to roll back expenses for education, health care, etc. The Democrats would rather see defense expenditures reduced. We all agree something must be cut, but we will never agree on just *what* must be cut.

    3. If the programs in jeopardy of being curtailed were only possible in the first place because we are spending money that we don't have, won't have, and (when interest rates start back up) can no longer afford to borrow then it's too darn bad.

    4. Maybe if we reduce government spending to what we *can* afford within current revenues we will either decide we can get along with less, or we will figure out how to pay for restoring some of the programs we are missing.

    5. Kicking the can down the road, while both sides call names and point fingers at the other, ain't gonna fix diddly.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Regularjoe44 wrote...
    Chuck...
    February 24, 2013 8:44 pm
    ..just saved me a bunch of typing on the iPad.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Rick W7PSK wrote...
    Very well stated Chuck.
    February 25, 2013 7:44 am
    Nothing to disagree with :)
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • maplefish wrote...
    Bravo Chuck
    February 25, 2013 8:25 am
    You nailed it.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Roark wrote...
    Right on Chuck
    February 25, 2013 11:54 am
    I don't hear anyone bringing up the fact that all this money is borrowed and has to be repaid. But we can't even start to pay back anything until we quit increasing the debt. When is that gonna happen? Never with the current line of thinking out of DC. There will never be enough money to pay for everything politicians want to do because they are using this spending to get re-elected. They go back home and say "see what I got for my state"? It's nuts. Until we get a balance budget amendment we'll never fix this mess.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • southi5 wrote...
    I'm not scared either Chuck
    February 25, 2013 1:15 pm
    They are all on vacation right now, they aren't very scared of this either, in my opinion, if this was going to be such a big thing, they'd be working on it. They = both parties but the boss man isn't doing anything either, except for vacationing himself.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • gaymarriedchristianfromhollywood wrote...
    Uhmmm, no.
    February 25, 2013 5:47 pm
    You are correct in one aspect, because it is easy to argue one side or another by just citing facts that support a particular view and omitting others. But it is infinitely harder to actually analyze the data. Yes, Washington spends a lot, but federal revenues are historically low as well. So it historically high rates of spending and low rates of taxation that have combined to give us the huge deficits which are unsustainable. But I seriously take issue with (well I take issue with all your statements as they are too simplistic for any substantive debate, but do make good bananas for the monkeys) but in particular with your #3. You are just blowing smoke. You have no idea if the programs in jeopardy were only possible in the first place because we are spending money we don’t have. How did you come up with that? I’m calling shenanigans. That’s not how I make my budget. I take a look first at what is needed and then I plan accordingly. So that I cut the things that I shouldn’t be spending money on first, not vice versa. You look at some of the things being cut and I frankly any sane person would rather keep education for children with disabilities, vaccines for children, funds to help upgrade its ability to respond to public health threats including infectious diseases, natural disasters and biological, chemical, nuclear and radiological events, well, practically any of those things, then the 92 billion we spend on corporate welfare, and why do we spend so much on defense? Who is going to attack us? Unless we are preparing for an intergalactic war we are spending way too much on defense and it only enriches people who make most of their profits from wars and conflict. A more reasoned approach would be to figure out what we need and/or want or think money should be spent on and then figure out how much money that will take, so that if the spending is at 20% of GDP or 23% or gasp, 25%, then you know how much in taxes you need and you tax accordingly. The other way is backwards and doesn’t consider all the money we overspend on other things. And by the way, borrowing money is not always a bad thing. Countries borrow money all the time. But your basic point does not escape me. Even though your other points leave much to be desired.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Ron_Spins wrote...
    President Obama's mission to stick it to the middle class and blame it on the Republicans.
    February 24, 2013 9:19 pm
    The President is determined to cut spending and reduce the deficit in a balanced way, but he won't stick the middle class with the bill....L.O.L he has so far done nothing BUT raise taxes on the middle class..people are starting to see through his scare "fear" tactics.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • sae245179 wrote...
    seems silly
    February 24, 2013 11:10 pm
    Even during this desultory economic recovery, one industry thrives — the manufacture of synthetic hysteria. It is, however, inaccurate to accuse the Hysteric in Chief of crying “Wolf!” about spending cuts under the sequester. He is actually crying “Hamster!” As in: Batten down the hatches — the sequester will cut $85 billion from this year’s $3.6 trillion budget! Or: Head for the storm cellar — spending will be cut 2.3 percent! Or: Washington chain-saw massacre — we must scrape by on 97.7 percent of current spending! Or: Chaos is coming because the sequester will cut a sum $25 billion larger than was just shoveled out the door (supposedly, but not actually) for victims of Hurricane Sandy! Or: Heaven forfend, the sequester will cut 47 percent as much as was spent on the AIG bailout! Or: Famine, pestilence and locusts will come when the sequester causes federal spending over 10 years to plummet from $46 trillion all the way down to $44.8 trillion! Or: Grass will grow in the streets of America’s cities if the domestic agencies whose budgets have increased 17 percent under President Obama must endure a 5 percent cut! -george will
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • circuitfr wrote...
    this country is done....
    February 24, 2013 11:24 pm
    I'm considered rich. Made right at 100k gross. That's with me working, wife stays at home at we run a small mom and pop business. That 100k is before business expenses. I also have a loan for our business which costs us 36k per year. But, nope, on paper, you made 100k, so you must be a rich a hole who doesn't pay his fair share. I paid 3k in B&0 tax and 7K in Federal Tax and I have a mortgage, two kids, and give over 5k in charity and I STILL own that much in taxes. Over 3k for property tax. Over 2k in sales tax. IT NEVER ENDS. And my stupid relatives get 4,5,6,7k in TAX REFUNDS all because they ARE WORTHLESS LAZY people who make TERRIBLE decisions in life. Act like a ho re, get thousands back. Work, scrimp, save, NEVER take a handout, and you end up getting taken and taken and taken from. What is the point? How much is enough? So far, all I've seen are my taxes go up up up up up up up..the ONLY people benefiting from Obama is the poor, lazy, stupid idiot bums.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Ron_Spins wrote...
    http://moonbattery.com/?p=25980
    February 25, 2013 12:03 am
    @circuitfr..We productive citizens are all slaves (now) to the Government .. Remind anyone of Communist Russia?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • messiah101 wrote...
    Ron
    February 25, 2013 8:02 am
    You anti Union Rightys believe in being slaves to your employers so why does serving another MASTER bother you?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Roark wrote...
    Ron, you're not being honest
    February 25, 2013 12:00 pm
    People are paid to work. If they don't like the job or the pay they can QUIT. That is NOT SLAVERY, and your characterization of as such is just typical liberal dishonesty.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Ron_Spins wrote...
    I am so old I can retire..to heck with quitting.
    February 25, 2013 10:00 pm
    No one has ever called me a liberal before.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • southi5 wrote...
    messiah101
    February 25, 2013 1:20 pm
    Slaves to my employer? My employer pays me to work here, I don't have to pay anyone to go to work, your Master, I mean union boss, won't send you to your rent a slave master if your dues aren't paid.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • SickofSeattleite wrote...
    @ cicuitfr
    February 25, 2013 5:43 am
    Work scrimp save never take a hand out and get taken and taken from.....I can relate to that and I support my family of four on 39,000 which by the way qualifies me for plenty of Uncle Sam handouts....this country is screwed.....
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • po_guy wrote...
    You and I are int the same boat almost.
    February 25, 2013 1:04 pm
    Difference is I have no children at home. My adjusted income this year was about $39K. My tax liability was $1100.00...and I really have no idea how I am going to come up with $1100.00 to pay UNcle Sam...I drive vehicles made in the 1990's, have a mortgage, pay all the standard billes llike everyone else, just a upper lower class family. And have been unable to afford Health Care for abourt 5 years.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Keitho wrote...
    Wait till obamacare
    February 25, 2013 1:43 pm
    IRS states the baseline policy will cost a family of 4 $20,000 per year.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • messiah101 wrote...
    circuitfr
    February 25, 2013 7:51 am
    What was your ACTUAL Federal tax rate?And your paying $3000 in property tax and your getting 2 children educated+ fire and police protection and your complaining?Quit blaming the poor and give THANKs for what your getting for your money.Your the perfect example of a SeLFISH WHINER who doesn't know a good thing when it stares him in his face.If you paid $100 a year in taxes you'd be complaining that your paying $100 too much
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • messiah101 wrote...
    circuitfr
    February 25, 2013 8:00 am
    By the way those idiot relatives you speak of are likely getting $6-$7K back in tax refunds are likely not taking the deductions they are entitled to during the year but claiming them when they file at the end of the year. Yes they are idiots for allowing the Government to hold their money for a year but that makes them stupid not lazy
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • maplefish wrote...
    M101 - Here ya Go...$6 TRILLION ADDED to the Deficit...
    February 25, 2013 9:42 am
    www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyLmru6no4U
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • SeattleNative wrote...
    He "didn't build that", right messiah?
    February 25, 2013 9:17 am
    ?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • HPD 5-0 wrote...
    assholiah wrote: "...give THANKs for what your getting for your money."
    February 25, 2013 10:26 am
    Well said, comrade. You are so stupid, you don't even realize you've been had.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • awbitf wrote...
    Maybe your "stupid relatives" get large refunds
    February 25, 2013 8:54 am
    because they can't calculate the right amount of withholdings and are giving the government interest-free loans? Would seem to be in-line with your "Terrible decisions" comments.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Roark wrote...
    And they say we're not a socialist country already....
    February 25, 2013 11:59 am
    "From each according to ability, to each according to need". That's the sewer into which this country has descended. It's pure Marxism. Marx is responsible for millions of deaths of people by their own governments in the last century. Looks like that will continue.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • gaymarriedchristianfromhollywood wrote...
    On what planet are you considered rich?
    February 25, 2013 6:10 pm
    If you are grossing 100K, and paying 36K a year for a loan you haven't made the best decisions either. I think that was a typo. I hope that was a typo. That just don't make no kind of sense. Anyways, I don't know your life so I won't comment too much, but 7K in federal taxes doesn't seem like that much to me. I pay more than that and I don't clear 100K, and the B&O tax is something you should have known about when you started your business in Washington state. Not that many states have it. You must like living here. Do what I do and think about all the things you get for the 17K in taxes you pay and maybe you'll feel a lot better. For that amount of money a year you get to drive anywhere in the country on nicely paved roads, you can visit any lake, river, ocean and chances are it will be clean and maintained, if someone attacks the country a whole army of people is waiting to defend it, scientific discoveries are happening right now with your tax dollars, and for that amount of money your food is safe to eat, National Parks are kept, traffic lights are maintained, firemen come to your house if it's burning, the police answers your call when you need them, the Coast Guard watches the oceans, power grids stay up and running, satellites and once in a while we even send people to space. I could go on, but basically what I'm saying is that for all that $17K a year you're getting a bargain.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Realitycheck wrote...
    Gay???
    February 25, 2013 6:59 pm
    You are completely missing his point. It is not about the taxes he pays or what he gets for that but the taxes 49% don't pay. They get exactly the same stuff you mentioned for free. So if 100% would pay think how low his taxes could be and how much better his life could be?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • gaymarriedchristianfromhollywood wrote...
    Yeah, no.
    February 26, 2013 6:57 am
    It is a myth that 49% of people dont pay taxes. Maybe they don't pay federal income taxes, but there are all kinds of taxes I don't pay that others pay. They still (70% of the 49%) pay payroll taxes. The ones that really don't pay are mostly armed service members in combat or seniors who've already paid. More importantly, they all pay local and state taxes, such as real estate taxes, even if you own a mobil home you're paying taxes and those who rent have it built in to the rent as standard practice. Also, they pay sales taxes, and if they are buying liquor, gas, tobacco or cell phones or cable, they are contributing to the federal coin purse. Yes, it's true some people pay more, some people pay less and that can be frustrating. But that would be like Romney or Buffet or Gates telling this guy to shut up about 7K in income taxes that he pays because they pay sooooo much more that they could pay his income taxes for a lifetime and still not pay what they do in one year. I can just hear them now, '7K! I wipe my butt with 7K, come back when you matter'. The point is that we all pay according to our income. I don't spend my life eating sour grapes so that I'm constantly hating on those who have less or those who have more. I am often surprised by people who say they know so many losers. I know a lot of people and most of them are hard workers, with the exception of a few. Some of them make more, some of them make less, but I've never let it bother me. We all need to contribute as best we can, but asking somebody making $20K a year to pay income taxes when that's not even enough to live on is ridiculous.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Rick1115 wrote...
    one of the 49%
    March 7, 2013 6:34 pm
    Some of us do not pay taxes as you say we are living on disability at tune of $12500. 00 to pay heat, food, clothing, property taxes etc. unable to get loans due to low income and disabled cannot even fix my own septic system. Walk a mile in these people shoes before shooting off your mouths. I wish I was making at least $35,000 yr I'd be living high of the hog with no money problems. I am no deadbeat just a failed body unable to hold a job. So what do you suggest just line up people like me and shoot us because you think you are supporting us Wrong this is why people pay into social security and medicare we paid are dues so the the H up and move on with your own lives.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • borosnw wrote...
    Thumb Up for You and messiah101
    February 26, 2013 7:26 am
    I truly think that our Federal Income Tax is among the lowest in industrialized countries. Like you, our adjusted income is in the low six figure and we are a family of 5, the last one is less than a month old. When I see some of the programs that are being cut, I feel very sad. These are programs that really hurt the vulnerables. Thirty years ago our family came to this country as refugees. We once depended on these programs. Whether it was food stamp, college grant, work-study,Upward Bound, I received them all. I pay back my due since I graduated from college in 1993. This is the greatest country on earth. I still think the people here are the most compassionate people I've known and love.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • SickofSeattleite wrote...
    cuts are good
    February 25, 2013 5:39 am
    if they cut the right programs and not the ones we depend on...they wouldn't have to cut so much if they actually new how to manage money responsibly. That's what happens when there is a ruling class in America....
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • messiah101 wrote...
    SickO
    February 25, 2013 8:03 am
    So you believe we should not have rulers (Leaders)?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Roark wrote...
    How did you get that out of what I wrote?
    February 25, 2013 12:05 pm
    Of course we need leaders. But we need them to comply with the laws, spend less, and quit taxing the wealth away from the people. What's so objectionable about that?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • southi5 wrote...
    Don't be silly Roark
    February 25, 2013 1:24 pm
    That question was not spelled out in his union talking points, he will get back to you after calling his rep and getting permission to respond.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • USMC0311 wrote...
    Rulers NO! Not now, not ever
    February 25, 2013 2:51 pm
    In America, we are not ruled by the political class, we are served. This "They are our rulers" mentality is dangerous and foolish.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Ron_Spins wrote...
    @USMC0311 since government is liberals "de facto" God
    February 25, 2013 10:04 pm
    That's where the rulers thing comes from.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Roark wrote...
    There isn't enough money on the planet...
    February 25, 2013 12:03 pm
    to satisfy the need of liberals to spend spend spend. It's their free pass to re-election. Just spend other people's money and tell you voters you got them all this cool stuff. Works GREAT until you run out of other people's money. And we have, to the tune of forty cents on every dollar we spend.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • just Fred wrote...
    Why is it
    February 25, 2013 5:58 am
    Always the critical services, such as police, fire departments, medical aid, etc and education and aid to the elderly that gets cut first? Maybe we should look at our congress and ask the question why do our congressmen/women and senators get special health care and benefits while in office and only work 4 years to get full pension and special health care benefits in retirement. When they want more money, they simply vote themselves a raise. And none of this has anything to do with performance. Maybe we can't afford THAT anymore. We didn't get in this mess because of democrats or republicans, we got here because of democrats AND republicans.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }