By Highlands Community Council
Idaho Number 1 in nation in state government job cuts
Idaho reduced state jobs by 6.9 percent between June 2009 and June 2010, leading the nation in state government employment cuts, says the Rockefeller Institute of Government.
Relying on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data released this week, the Rockefeller Institute says 28 states cut state employment, while 18 added state jobs. Idaho was easily the biggest job trimmer, trailed by Hawaii, which cut 4.5 percent of state jobs; Connecticut and Wisconsin, down 4.2 percent; Arizona, down 3.8 percent; Vermont, down 3 percent; and California, down 2.7 percent.
Read more at the Idaho Statesman.
By Highlands Community Council
From the blog of the Evergreen Freedom Foundation.
Both the House and the Senate were in shuffle-around mode at about 1:45 on Monday, the first day of the Legislature’s special session. There was a whole lot of nothing going on.
Set to commence at noon, less than two hours latter a few legislators in both houses were milling about on the floor, chatting, making phone calls or doing paperwork. There was more buzz in the hallway.
Finally, some action perked up in the Senate, and a half-dozen bills were passed. Included among them was re-passage of the Senate’s version of the 2010-2011 supplemental operating budget, which passed by a vote of 25 to 19. Back to the House it goes.
Read the rest of the blog post at Evergreen Freedom Foundation.
By Highlands Community Council
The state Senate is expected to take its final vote on the temporary suspension of Initiative 960, just ahead of the House and Senate Democrats unveiling their budget proposals.The Associated Press
OLYMPIA, Wash. -
The state Senate is expected to take its final vote on the temporary suspension of Initiative 960, just ahead of the House and Senate Democrats unveiling their budget proposals.
I-960 makes it harder for legislators to raise taxes, which is why the Democratic majority needs it to be suspended. The Senate must agree to changes made by the House, which approved the suspension last week. The Senate vote is scheduled for Monday night.
Read the rest of the post at The Seattle Times.
By Highlands Community Council
We knew you could.
Salaries for City of Renton employees in 2008 were over $60,000,000. This included over $3.7 million in overtime alone.
Again, we ask the question. If the City of Renton needs to cut budgets to save things like the library, why not cut salaries by 5%. That works out to about $3,000,000 if we do our math correctly.
If you really want to cut the budget eliminate 5 people making over $100,000 and right there you save the City $500,000.
The private sector has had to make cuts. Why not the City too?
By Highlands Community Council
Is Renton next to make cuts like these?
KIRKLAND, Wash. — Budget cuts are making a mess in this Eastside city.Money is so tight the city is trashing trash cans, and park users are left to clean up the mess.
Right now, it’s just a can here, and some trash there. But Kirkland park users worry they could be the first signs of the city’s $3 million budget gap.
Read more at KOMONews.com.
By Highlands Community Council
Thursday, October 22
Council Budget Workshops - 8 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Meets at Renton City Hall, 1055 S. Grady Way, 7th Floor in Conferencing Center
Agenda: 2010 Budget Overview
Friday, October 30
Council Budget Workshops - 1 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Meets at Renton City Hall, 1055 S. Grady Way, 7th Floor in Conferencing Center
Agenda: 2010 Budget (City Service Areas & Department Presentations)
By Highlands Community Council
So we need to ask the question. Will the Renton City Council members be giving up 1/4 of the monthly salary since there won’t be a Renton City Council meeting?
Story continues Renton Reporter?
By Highlands Community Council
The following is a letter written from Mayor Law to employees of the City of Renton.
Like all other businesses the City needs to belt tighten. That’s the advantage to have a former business owner running our City. When the tough decision to lay people off needs to be made, our Mayor is willing to stick his neck out on the line and do so.
We normally don’t reprint stories in full so that you’ll go visit the original publisher’s site but since this was a letter from the Mayor, we’ve made an exception.
Mayor Law’s letter is below (as published on the Renton Reporter’s web site).
Read more »
By Highlands Community Council
We never hear about King County laying people off. Only about reducing funding to our parks and social services.
$48,000? That’s less than the salary of many full-time King County employees. I think we’re beginning to see how bad King County’s fiscal situation really is. Why not cut head county like private company do?
By LINDA BRILL / KING 5 News
SEATTLE - Victims of sexual assault are now victims of King County’s massive budget cuts. King County Executive Kurt Triplett has proposed cutting sexual assault service by 80 percent.
Story continues at KING5.com.
By Highlands Community Council
King County Budget Cuts
09/29/2009King County Executive Kurt Triplett unveiled his 2010 budget proposal yesterday (Monday). It contains what he calls “heart-wrenching” cuts. The county needs to plug a $56 million deficit for next year. The proposed budget eliminates more than 360 staff positions, including 16 people in the executive’s office. And it makes big cuts in some social service programs.
Story continues at KUOW.
