Wash. lawmakers move for early savings
Friday, January 22, 2010
OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) -- The Legislature is moving ahead with some early steps to save money as lawmakers continue grappling with a $2.6 billion budget deficit.
On Friday, the state House approved a bill that would trim about $47 million from state spending. It reinforces some cost-cutting actions that Gov. Chris Gregoire started taking before the legislative session started.
The savings bill passed on a vote of 77-19 and now heads to the Senate for further consideration.
Senators are also hoping to debate some savings measures on Friday, including a bill that would shut down many state agencies one day a month. That would lead to state worker furloughs, which their union strongly opposes.
