State budget director orders agencies to sharpen ax again

With state agencies and institutions still reeling from
massive budget cuts, the Governor’s office Monday warned
them to prepare for another 5-10 percent in cuts.

Budget Director Marty Brown says the day after the
Legislature finally passed a draconian budget in June,
slashing over $4.5 billion, the July revenue forecast
showed the state was already another approximately $580
million in the red.

And as he waits for a September forecast expected to be
even worse, Brown says the state has little choice but to
cut even more.

“Legislators worked really hard and made some very
difficult choices, agencies made cuts that were very
painful,” Brown says. “But it just seems to get even more
bleak as time goes on.”

Brown says he’s discouraged by the impact and uncertainty
of the debt ceiling debate and global downturn. He says
the state has no other tools to prepare for what he
expects to be a discouraging revenue forecast.

While lawmakers will undoubtedly face more difficult
choices in the next legislative session, Brown says he
can’t rule out Governor Gregoire needing to call a special
session to bridge the gap until the Legislature returns in January.