Schoesler asks local leaders to prioritize state programs

“What are your most untouchable priorities?”

State Senator Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, asked that question of officials from Whitman County and the city of Pullman last week as he prepared for a special session of the legislature next month.

“More money,” said County Commissioner Michael Largent.

Fat chance, Schoesler said in last week’s meeting at the county courthouse.

State Reps. Joe Schmick and Susan Fagan were scheduled to join Schoesler, but were called to other duties.

With the state $2 billion short of its spending plan, Schoesler wanted to know from area leaders what they would like him to try to protect from state cuts.

“You’re not going to get away unscathed,” Schoesler predicted.

County officials mentioned funding for public legal defense, programs for the developmentally disabled and, Commissioner Greg Partch said perhaps most critically, health department operations.

“We pick up the cost of the university students, and we don’t get anything from them,” said Partch.

Health Department director Fran Martin said her agency is slated to lose $100,000 under Gov. Chris Gregoire’s initial budget proposal.

In citing the Governor’s proposal and its impacts on local funding, Schoesler said he suspected Gov. Gregoire may be bluffing a bit.

“There’s still a certain amount of using a budget as a political statement,” he said. “If you put enough trial balloons with something so horrible out there, there’s a chance it might get done.”

One of those “trial balloons” is levy equalization, which provides state funds to property-poor school districts.

Another is funding to pay for diesel in school buses.

“I really worry for our small school districts around here,” said Pullman City Supervisor John Sherman.

Schoesler said neither proposed cut was likely to make it through the legislature.

Martin also asked Schoesler to work for reforms to prisoners on public health insurance. Once a prisoner is checked into the county jail, she said, that patient’s medical ailments become the financial responsibility of the county.

Sherman asked Schoesler to fight against further cuts to WSU or more increases in tuition. He said university cuts made over the last few funding cycles have decimated Pullman’s funding base and are making it harder for students.

“We’re pricing our future away,” he said.

Instead, Sherman asked if the legislature was going to consider ways to increase state revenues. State funding - including the Public Works Trust Fund - has been raided to balance the budget. That, he said, has left cities on their own for funding water and sewer systems.

“It’s starting to feel a lot like the ‘80s,” he said. “Only in the ‘80s it was the federal government.”

Schoesler pointed out even if the legislature came up with tax increase proposals to the voters - as required by state law - they would not take effect in time to cure the $2 billion deficit.