Outcomes of FY2011-2013 state budget
23 June 2011
One Comment
Basic Needs , Community News , Early Learning , Homelessness , Public Policy , United Way News
Thanks to the combined advocacy of our United Way constituents nd partner organizations, United Way of King County was able to achieve many of its legislative asks even in one of the most challenging economic years on record. Below is a summary of the outcomes of our main advocacy efforts for FY 2011-2013.
2011-2013 Budget Outcomes
| Issue | Legislative Ask | Reduction or Change | Impact | Outcome |
| Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP) State-funded pre-school program that helps at-risk 3 and 4 year olds and their families | Maintain ECEAP funding for three olds.The Governor’s budget eliminated funding for all three year olds. | Increase | ECEAP is fully protected (serving over 8,000 3 and 4 year olds) and 165 additional slots are funded through the federal Child Care Development Fund. These federal funds would have otherwise been used for quality purposes. | HB 1087 – general operating budget signed by Governor on 6-15-11 |
| Home Visiting In home services that help infants/young children and their parents reduce their risk for adverse outcomes | Maintain the state’s current investment in home visiting and deposit $2.35 million/year in the Home Visiting Services Account | Allocated $1.868/year for the biennium | Home visiting dollars were allocated at a level that meets federal Maintenance of Effort requirements and allows the state to draw down $1.3 million per year from the Federal Home Visitation Program. The intention is to deposit state and federal funds for community level home visiting services in the Home Visiting Services Account which will leverage additional private dollar match. | HB 1087 - general operating budget signed by Governor on 6-15-11 |
| SB 5427 WashingtonKindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills (WaKIDS) Process that promotes teacher identification of children’s skill level/educational needs before school entry | No legislative ask | Increase of $900,000 in state funds to be matched with $600,000 in private funds | In 2011-2012, as funds are available, state-funded full-day kindergarten classrooms will administer WaKIDS on a voluntary basis. In 2012-2013, funds permitting, WaKIDS must be administered to all students enrolled in state-funded all-day kindergarten. Expansion of WaKIDS will allow identification of and support for the needs of at-risk entering Kindergarten students. | SB 5427 signed by Governor on 5-12-11 |
| Working Connections Child Care (WCCC) State subsidized child care for low income families. Priorities are families: receiving TANF benefits, with special needs children and below 175% poverty level. Currently capped at 35,200 families (@60K children) with waiting list | Preserve eligibility for Working Connections Child Care (WCCC) at 175% of Federal Poverty LevelGovernor proposed eligibility reductions of $84.8 million. | No protection of eligibility level but ability to lift current cap of 35,200 families if savings are accrued | The Governor vetoed language that would have prohibited the Department of Early Learning from restricting eligibility below 175% of FPL. The veto message stated that limitation would infringe on her authority to manage the WorkFirst (TANF) program, which includes Working Connections Child Care. If administrative savings are accrued in the TANF/Child Care Development Fund “box.”, it requires DEL to reconsider the 35,200 cap. This veto could result in fewer low income, working families being eligible for subsided child care affecting their ability to continue work and be self-supporting. | HB 1087 -general operating budget signed by Governor on 6-15-11 |
| ESHB 2082 – Disability Lifeline Program (DL) Provides medical care (including mental health treatment) and some assistance for low income individuals who temporarily unable to work due to physical or mental disabilities | Maintain state investment in Disability Lifeline medical and cash assistance Governor’s budget proposed elimination of program. | Eliminates the currentDisability Lifeline Program effective October 1 but preserves medical services for eligible clients. Creates 3 new programs. Eliminates cash assistance grants to all but the aged, blind and disabled program | Creates three new programs in place of DL: 1) Aged, Blind, and Disabled program (similar to the current DL-X program). Recipients receive medical care and a cash grant ($197/mo); 2) Pregnant Women Assistance Program; and 3) Essential Needs and Housing Support Program (offered to those eligible for medical care services). Funded at $64 M, will help house the homeless or those at risk of homelessness More than 21,000 will lose cash benefits (6,100+ in King County) that have supported housing and basic needs | ESHB 2082 – signed by Governor on 6-15-11 |
| HB 2000 State Food Assistance Program State-funded program providing federal Basic Food Program benefits (food stamps) to legal immigrants and refugees | Protect funding for the State Food Assistance Program.Governor’s budget proposed elimination of program. | Benefits reduced by half to $30 million | The Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS): establishes the benefits to be fifty percent of the federal supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP) or food stamp benefit amount. and will adopt rules to ensure the SFA program operates within the appropriations in the adopted budget. This will affect 31,000 WA residents including over 15,000 children. | HB 1087 -general operating budget signed by Governor on 6-15-11 |
| Housing Trust Fund Creates and preserves affordable housing across the state | Preserve funding for the Housing Trust Fund | Reduced to $50 million (from nearly $200 million last biennium) | Creation and preservation of affordable housing will be severely limited | HB1497 capital budget bill signed by Governor on 6-15-11 |
| SHB 1811 – Homeless Management Information System Allows for telephonic consent for access to housing and homelessness services | No legislative ask | Allows for informed telephonic consent | Streamlines access to services for homeless families and individuals by allowing people to share their information over the phone so that it can be entered into the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS). | SHB 1811 signed by Governor on 5-3-11 |
| SHB 2048 (Document Recording Fee for Homelessness) | No legislative ask | Bill was not heard in Senate before session ended | Would have addressed shortfalls facing the Home Security Fund, by temporarily increasing the current $30 surcharge on document recording fees for local homeless housing and assistance to $40 from August 2011 -June 2015. | Dead |
| 2-1-1 Statewide( internet and phone) information and referral service | UWWA: Provide $3 million in funding from the Washington Telephone Assistance Program (WTAP) to support 2-1-1 | Reduced to $1 million for the biennium | Funded at $1 million for the biennium from Washington Telephone Assistance Program surplus funding. WIN 211 plans to continue statewide service at this funding level (significantly less than in previous years) which could result in cuts in service. | HB 1087 -general operating budget signed by Governor on 6-15-11 |
Updated as of June 17, 2011
Information subject to revision as we further analyze a very complex set of budget provisions. For more information contact UWKC Public Policy Director Carol Wood, cwood@uwkc.org
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