Bob Ferguson is proposing a 2 year cut to state employees salaries by imposing forced furloughs that would add up to a 4% pay cut.
Most of these employees are already critically underpaid and not making a living wage for their region.
Call Bob and tell him it is not okay to balance the budget of the backs of state employees that keep our state running.
Here are the official contact numbers:
Call
360-902-4111
TTY/TDD call 711 or
1-800-833-6384
More links to contact here:
As a state employee, I’d like to put my input on this. For me, a once a month furlough is ideal to being laid off, and so even though this is a paycut, I’d rather this than potentially not have a job. I think the messaging for this should include a caveat - no furloughs AND a tax on the wealthy. I believe that the only way layoffs won’t happen is if there’s additional revenue sources, and so the no furlough message must be paired with a tax the wealthy message.
Additionally, if the state passes it’s 3% COLA as they’re expected to, this will only be about a 1.6% decrease in wage (as the furlough is about a 4% cut). Again, it sucks, but definitely not as bad as layoffs.
I appreciate the support people have for state employees!
I am a state employee. I would rather not be laidoff, but I resent being the last priority. Especially when that cola is not enough to bring us up to an actual living wage, even before you consider inflation and whatever DJT is doing to the economy.
I agree with that 100%, which is why the state must look into additional revenue sources like an income tax or a wealth tax. I really liked Inslee’s outgoing speach where he said basically how can I cut programs for the state’s most vulnerable when there are millionaires and billionaires living in our state who don’t pay their fair share? Which is why I think it’s important if people are advocating for no furloughs, they must also push for new revenue sources because the alternative is layoffs.