About the Coalition
updated January 20, 2011

Our Economic Future coalition urges Governor Gregoire and the Washington State Legislature to show leadership in the effort to create jobs and rebuild a strong economy. In these tough times, we need to stand together as a state and invest in the public services that are key to our future prosperity and the quality of life in our communities.

In the wake of over $10 billion in cuts to community services during the past three years, an additional $2 billion in cuts would be devastating to our families and our communities.

Proposed cuts threaten to take access to health care away from 55,000 more people, eliminate care for 1,600 seniors and people with developmental disabilities, undermine our children's education, and make college and job training inaccessible.  These cuts disproportionately impact communities of color, immigrants and refugees and would worsen inequalities along race, gender, national origin, and income lines.

An all-cuts approach is the wrong direction for our communities. Instead, we urge lawmakers to take a balanced approach to solving our budget challenges. This includes protecting public health, public safety, working families and our children's future. By investing in our future prosperity we can promote equal opportunity and a good quality of life for all. We ask lawmakers to work together so we can emerge from this recession with our communities intact and our economy poised to create good paying jobs.

As lawmakers consider the latest round of drastic and devastating cuts, the following actions should be taken:

• Raise revenue to address the immediate shortfall and prevent deeper cuts to essential services.
• Reform our tax structure to one that is more equitable and no longer places a disproportionate burden on those who earn the least.
• Pass an excise tax on stock profits and other capital gains to provide the revenues needed to invest in long-term job growth.
• Make sure tax breaks for businesses get the same level of accountability and scrutiny as all other spending in the budget so the public can evaluate whether they create jobs or not.

If the Legislature cannot meet the two-thirds majority requirement in place for raising some types of revenue, we support the Legislature sending a revenue referendum to the ballot, which can be passed by a simple majority vote in both houses

We oppose all efforts to use the recession as an excuse to weaken or overturn laws that protect workers, our communities, and the environment.

We call on our elected officials in Olympia to join with us in reaching a moral, responsible and balanced solution to support the vital public services that make Washington a great place to live and work.

To join our coalition, click here.

Coalition Partners

AAA Residential Services
AARP Washington
Addus Healthcare
Alzheimer's Association - Western and Central Washington State Chapter
American Academy of Pediatrics - Washington Chapter
American Association of University Women - W Chapter
American Federation of Teachers
American Rivers
APACE
ARC of Washington State
Asian Pacific Islander Coalition Against Tobacco
Asian Pacific Islander Coalition of Washington State
Benton Franklin Parent Coalition
Cascade Bicycle Club
Center for Social Justice
Center for MultiCultural Health
Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
Centerpoint Services
Childhood Obesity Prevention Coalition
Children's Alliance
Children's Home Alliance of Washington
Chinese Information and Service Center
Church Council Of Greater Seattle
Climate Solutions
Columbia Valley Community Health
Common Ground
Community Employment Alliance
Community Health Center La Clinica
Community Health Network of Washington
Community Health of Central Washington
Community Youth Services
Comprehensive Health Education Foundation
Consejo Counseling and Referral Service
Deaconness Children's Services
Disability Rights Washington
Drug Abuse Prevention Center
Dynamic Organizations
Earth Ministry
Eastern Washington Voters
Economic Opportunity Institute
El Centro de la Raza
Elder and Adult Day Services
ElderHealth Northwest
Entre Hermanos
Environment Washington
Equal Rights Washington
Faith Action Network
Families and Friends of Violent Crime Victims
Family Alliance for Mental Health
Family Resource, Education & Empowerment for Developmental Disabilities
Food Lifeline
Foster Promise
Fuse
Futurewise
Habitat for Humanity - Washington
Harvest House
HealthPoint
Housing Development Consortium Seattle-King County
Inclusion Werks
Inland Empire Residential Resources
Interfaith Community Health Center
Islamic Civic Engagement
Japanese American Citizens League - Seattle Chapter
Jefferson County Citizens for Healthcare Access
Juan de Fuca Festival of Arts
King County Coalition Against Domestic Violence
King County Democrats
King County Democrats Legislative Action Committee
King County Labor Council
Kirkland Interfaith Transitions in Housing (KITH)
Lake City Task Force on Homelessness
Latino Community Fund of Washington State
League of Education Voters
League of Women Voters of Washington
Legal Voice
Lutheran Community Services Northwest
Main Street Alliance
Mason County Shelter
Minority Executive Directors Coalition
Moses Lake Community Health Center
NARAL Pro-Choice Washington
National Association of Social Workers - WA Chapter
Neighborcare Health
New Futures
Northwest Health Law Advocates
Northwest Progressive Institute
NW Energy Coalition
O.P.E.I.U. Local # 8
Olympic Community Action Programs
OneAmerica
Organizing for Seattle
Partners with Families & Chlidren: Spokane
Passages Family Support
Peace and Justice Action League of Spokane
People For Puget Sound
Pioneer Human Services
Planned Parenthood Votes! Northwest
POWER, Parents Organizing for Welfare and Economic Rights
Program for Assertive Community Treatment (PACT)
Puget Sound Alliance for Retired Americans
Puget Sound Sage
Real Change
Resident Councils of Washington
Resolution Washington
Retired Public Employees of Washington
School Nurse Organization of Washington
School's Out Washington
Sea Mar Community Health Centers
Seattle Audubon Society
Seattle Human Services Coalition
Seattle / King County Coalition on Homelessness
SEIU Washington State Council
Self-Advocates in Leadership (SAIL)
Sierra Club
Sound Thinking
Statewide Poverty Action Network (SPAN)
Teach for All
Teamsters #117
The Washington Bus
The Arc of King County
Transportation Choices Coalition
UAW Local 4121
UFCW 21
United Faculty of Washington State
United Way of Snohomish County
Washington Coalition of Crime Victim Advocates
Washington Adult Day Services Association
Washington Alliance for Retired Americans
Washington Association of Community and Migrant Health Centers (WACMHC)
Washington Association of School Administrators
Washington Community Action Network
Washington Conservation Voters
Washington Eldercare Alliance
Washington Environmental Council
Washington Federation of State Employees
Washington Federation of State Employees, Council 28
Washington Home Care Coalition
Washington Low Income Housing Alliance
Washington State Association of Head Start and ECEAP
Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence
Washington State Coalition for the Homeless
Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO
Washington State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program
Washington State Nurses Association
Washington State School Retirees' Association
Washington State Senior Citizens Lobby
Washington State Special Education Coalition
Washington Student Association
Washington Toxics Coalition
Washington Tuition Blog
Yakima Neighborhood Health Services
Youthville