State Workers Picket Governor’s Spokane Office
Published on Mon, Oct 19, 2009 by Chris ThomasRead More County & State
SPOKANE, Wash. - Demoralized by cutbacks and layoffs, Washington State
workers are picketing the governor's Eastern Washington office in
Spokane today. They're protesting further cuts to state-run hospitals
and the corrections system - cuts recommended in a new consultant's
report. One suggestion it made is to close or downsize five facilities
for people with serious physical or mental disabilities and shift those
clients, wherever possible, into private care.
However, private options do not exist in some parts of the state, according to Washington Federation of State Employees director of public affairs, Tim Welch.
"One of the flaws of this report is that they did not take into account the cost of those transition services. If you have to create a whole new system in the community to care for these clients, it may not save the state money."
The recommended additional closures and/or downsizing of state-run facilities total 250 beds in residential centers for people with disabilities, 235 beds in Juvenile Rehabilitation and 1,580 beds in Corrections.
The Medical Lake City Council already has voted to oppose the proposed cuts. Welch says the residential facility there, Lakeland Village, could be reduced in size from 238 beds to 26.
"There would be hundreds of jobs lost. In the Medical Lake community, for example, you have Lakeland Village, you have Pine Lodge Correctional Center, you have Eastern State Hospital - all of which have been targeted with either reductions or partial closures. You can imagine the economic impact on Medical Lake."
In addition to issues with relocating facility residents, Welch says almost any community with a state-run institution stands to lose jobs if the legislature adopts the recommendations, which come on top of other cuts already in effect.
Picketers will be out from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. today at the governor's Eastern Regional office, W. 1611 Indiana St., Spokane.
The one-week public comment period on the draft report ends on Wednesday, Oct. 21. The final report will be presented to the governor and legislature on Nov. 1.
The consultant's recommendations are available on the Washington Office of Financial Management web site, www.ofm.wa.gov, where public comments also may be made today and Tues.
However, private options do not exist in some parts of the state, according to Washington Federation of State Employees director of public affairs, Tim Welch.
"One of the flaws of this report is that they did not take into account the cost of those transition services. If you have to create a whole new system in the community to care for these clients, it may not save the state money."
The recommended additional closures and/or downsizing of state-run facilities total 250 beds in residential centers for people with disabilities, 235 beds in Juvenile Rehabilitation and 1,580 beds in Corrections.
The Medical Lake City Council already has voted to oppose the proposed cuts. Welch says the residential facility there, Lakeland Village, could be reduced in size from 238 beds to 26.
"There would be hundreds of jobs lost. In the Medical Lake community, for example, you have Lakeland Village, you have Pine Lodge Correctional Center, you have Eastern State Hospital - all of which have been targeted with either reductions or partial closures. You can imagine the economic impact on Medical Lake."
In addition to issues with relocating facility residents, Welch says almost any community with a state-run institution stands to lose jobs if the legislature adopts the recommendations, which come on top of other cuts already in effect.
Picketers will be out from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. today at the governor's Eastern Regional office, W. 1611 Indiana St., Spokane.
The one-week public comment period on the draft report ends on Wednesday, Oct. 21. The final report will be presented to the governor and legislature on Nov. 1.
The consultant's recommendations are available on the Washington Office of Financial Management web site, www.ofm.wa.gov, where public comments also may be made today and Tues.
