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Schoesler votes against operating budget
Posted: Wednesday, Mar 19, 2008 - 02:55:52 pm PDT
By Candice Boutilier

Says budget leaves state short
OLYMPIA - Sen. Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, voted against the 2008 state supplemental operating budget saying it's inadequate.

"This budget spends about $1.7 billion more than the state has in available revenue," he said.

Schoesler said projected budget spending is close to $33.7 billion while the projected revenues are only $32 billion. The budget leads the state to a $2.4 billion deficit in 2009 and a $5.1 billion revenue shortfall by 2011, he said.

"Here we're facing some huge deficits and yet the Legislature just passed a budget that spends like we're awash in money," Schoesler said. "We should have taken steps now to minimize spending and maximize savings so we can better cushion the upcoming revenue shortfall. A supplemental budget should make necessary changes to caseloads and other midcourse corrections to the two-year budget. It should not fund new programs or spending ventures, especially when we're facing such an enormous deficit."

He said state revenue increased 6 percent and spending increased 16.1 percent since the last budget cycle. State revenue is acceptable but the budget is problematic due to too much spending, the senator added.

The ending reserve fund balance of the budget is approximately $836 million, Schoesler said. The balance includes the $466 million set aside in the rainy-day fund. To access the rainy-day fund it requires a constitutional amendment during an emergency.

"The true ending fund reserve is $390 million," he said. "That's about 1 percent of this budget. The way things are looking, that will be gone in the blink of an eye when the Legislature meets next year."

The operating budget passed the state Senate Thursday afternoon with a vote of 31-18. It awaits approval from the governor.

Diminishing water supply threatens E. Washington farmers

Seattle Times,Thursday, September 29, 2005
Without water, the Columbia Basin region would look like the sagebrush-covered desert it was before farmers and irrigators transformed it into some of the top-producing farmland in the United States. Thanks to water, 119 crops are grown in the Columbia Basin. In fact, Grant, Franklin and Adams counties are the first-, second- and fifth-largest potato-producing counties in the U.S.

But this region's future is endangered because of its diminishing water supply. Much of the region relies on the vast Odessa sub-area aquifer for its water. But more water is being withdrawn from the aquifer than is being recharged.
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Gregoire wants to freeze tuition at 2-year colleges

The Seattle Times - 12/15/2006
State Senate Republican Floor Leader Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, said he largely agreed with Gregoire's higher-education plan, but he said she didn't go far enough in capping tuition. "I'd like to see it capped at inflation," he said. "I'm very concerned about affordability of tuition to our universities by middle-class families."
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