Rossi's plan steals from schools

Fresh back from a tiring weekend hashing out Washington's education issues with the Washington State PTA, I was dismayed to see the details of Dino Rossi's plan for the 2009-2011 state budget.

All I could hear was WHOOSH--the sound of desperately needed education dollars flying out of the general fund and back into the pockets of the very rich and the state transportation department.

For starters, Rossi proposes a repeal of the estate tax which affects only the richest 1% of us, at a cost of $235 million per budget period. This revenue normally goes directly to Washington schools.

Next, his transportation "plan" which one transportation expert called "divorced from reality" would take $800 million from the general fund. Now, I know from the PTA that 40% of that fund goes toward education, and that state lawmakers are prepared to ask the legislature for more money from that fund this year in order to bring our educational system up to par with the rest of the country. Where will that money come from if Rossi is taking from the pot? Will he try to cut more low-income children off Medicaid in order to make up the loss like he did in 2003?

When Rossi endorses Initiative 985, we really know that he is not serious about education or even traffic congestion for that matter. Has he seen the Office of Financial Management's financial impact statement on I-985? They estimate the financial cost of that boondoggle at $238 million, not to mention the cost to local governments and the decreased traffic efficiency. Guess where that money will come from? Right, the general fund.

The Gregoire campaign reminds us of the governor's financial accomplishments:

Governor Gregoire worked to pass the Rainy Day Fund, held the line on spending in the last legislative session and responded to the changing national economy and state revenue shortfalls by finding savings in the current budget. Those savings and the Rainy Day Fund will give our state a surplus of around $800 million at the end of the budget cycle. The current cuts are estimated to save an additional $500 million from the next biennial budget.

Rossi's budget plan would add $1.27 billion to the projected budget deficit and hurt schools. How is stunting our kids' education by giving the rich a tax break and making bad transportation decisions good for our state? Our schools and our kids (Washington's future workforce) are already behind.

Gregoire has a track record of sound fiscal policy and dedication to education. I'm not prepared to watch our elementary, high schools and colleges fall further behind because Rossi prefers highways to an educated populace.