The state is facing a $5+ billion budget shortfall for the next two years and House and Senate members have been trying to decide what to cut – or not – from state agencies and organizations to get the numbers to match.

Not surprisingly, as each budget version has been trotted out wails could be heard from – well almost everyone – saying how much cuts will hurt – well almost everyone.

There’s one word for this.

Tough.

Not to be cavalier, but this is what we get when voters make it essentially impossible to raise taxes to counter the effects of a long-running recession. Add to that the Republicans taking control of the House to counter the Democrats control of the Senate and you end up with having to make hard choices.

Special-interest groups have been working overtime, bombarding legislators and the press with dire warnings of what is to come. However, in reality, what they’re really trying to do is get one final bite of the budget carcass before there’s there’s nothing left but bones.

Well, good luck to them.

The first problem is that there is no more “magic money” – or federal bailout funds – to plug budget holes. That means the legislators actually have to make deep cuts to balance the budget. Oh, and the state can’t do the fancy footwork like the federal government and print more money or run a deficit. Income has to balance outgo.

That said, there are important differences in the House and Senate budgets.

The House, apparently not wanting to tick off any more constituents than they have to, has proposed selling the state’s wholesale liquor business to private firm(s) – for $300 million.

Yes, the money is nice, but it’s a bad idea. First, this is a one-time thing. This isn’t the Brooklyn Bridge – you can’t keep selling it over and over. Also, there’s no proof that $300 million is a fair price.

The Senate budget has its own problems. It would cut funds for glasses and hearing aids for adults under the Medical Assistance Program. What? If people can’t see or hear, maybe they won’t notice they’re being shafted?

The Senate also has outraged public school teachers by whacking their salaries by 3 percent.

Well, wah, wah, wah.

Earth to teachers, many people in the private sector have had their salaries cut or not had a raise in years. Oh, and other government employees have taken pay cuts to help out during the recession. Why should teachers be immune?

The bottom line here is that whatever budget is finally signed into law by Gov. Gregoire, it’s going to stink. There will be no such thing as “business as usual” for the next two years.

Get used to it.

– Craig Groshart, Issaquah Reporter