By Rahcel La Corte
The Associated Press
OLYMPIA — Washington state officials said Thursday that while they don’t think government operations will shut down next month, they’re required to alert state employees to the possibility of temporary layoffs in the coming weeks.
Gov. Jay Inslee’s financial managers have directed agencies to send notices to thousands of employees Tuesday because a state operating budget hasn’t been adopted.
Lawmakers and the governor have until midnight June 30 to pass a two-year spending plan or more than 26,000 workers would be furloughed, according to the state Office of Financial Management.
Most notices will arrive by email, though some letters will be sent through the Postal Service today to employees on leave. Last month, the state notified unions and vendors of a potential shutdown.
“The governor does remain optimistic that there will not be a government shutdown and we will not have to implement these contingency plans,” Inslee spokeswoman Jaime Smith said.
“This is a process driven by due diligence and by legal and contractual obligations.”
The state has to let workers know seven days before potential layoffs, which makes Tuesday a key deadline, Smith said.
Nick Brown, general counsel for the governor, said dozens of agencies and other offices would fully or partially close under a shutdown.
Legally mandated programs, including services for children or the mentally ill, would be exempt.
Also, agencies such as the Department of Transportation, which had a maintenance budget approved in the first special session, wouldn’t be affected.
“This is not a determination by the governor or his staff about what is essential or nonessential,” Brown said.
“We simply make a determination of what services we can provide.”
The Democratic-controlled House and Republican-controlled Senate have been locked in budget negotiations for several weeks.
They’re currently in a second overtime legislative session after adjourning both a regular 105-day legislative session and a 30-day special session without reaching a deal.
The next spending plan requires additional funding for education, as required by the state Supreme Court.
Democrats have said more revenue is needed to address the court mandate in addition to paying for state services. Republicans, meanwhile, say recent revenue forecasts show more taxes aren’t necessary.
Washington state has never had a government shutdown, but the Legislature has taken its budget talks to the brink before, including two years ago, when Inslee signed a budget June 30.
Under the Office of Financial Management’s contingency plan, universities and community colleges would remain open.
The Liquor Control Board, state parks and state Lottery would face a complete shutdown.
The Governor’s Office, the Department of Social & Health Services and Department of Corrections, meanwhile, would face a partial shutdown.
Community supervision for offenders on probation would cease, except for out-of-state offenders supervised under an interstate compact.
David Schumacher, Financial Management office director, wouldn’t discuss specifics of the ongoing budget talks, other than to say he thinks it’s likely that letters will be sent Tuesday because it would be “wildly optimistic” to think there’d be a budget deal by then.
Schumacher, however, echoed the governor’s optimism.
“We have plenty of time to get our work done before the public needs to be concerned,” he said.
