REVENUE FORECAST DUE: Agencies contemplate potential 10 percent loss
Gov. Chris Gregoire’s call to plan budget cuts of up to 10 percent sounded draconian a month ago. But they may become reality – as the governor and others now fear Thursday’s revenue forecast will erase $1 billion to $2 billion more from state coffers.
The governor’s worst-case scenario called for cuts across all of state government totaling $1.7 billion. The state Health Care Authority’s share at the 10 percent cut level was $445 million – a situation that is putting some Medicaid programs and the Basic Health Plan firmly on the chopping block.