But late is better than never.
The morning PI reports, "reality will bit state budget." That's gotta hurt.
Gov. Chris Gregoire and leading Democrats in the House and Senate have reached one early agreement in this year's budget negotiations: It's time for a reality check.
Anticipating a bleak revenue forecast, they've agreed to start looking for places to trim the $33 billion budget they passed last year. They say they want to have their priorities in order in case the slowing economy forces them to find efficiencies or even cut programs altogether.
Set priorities. Find efficiencies. Cut programs. Sounds familiar. And budget director Victor Moore is quoted as saying the governor used the Priorities of Government in developing her supplemental budget.
PI reporter Chris McGann goes to Sen. Joe Zarelli for the Republican take.
Republicans have been calling for spending reductions for at least three years.
"Better late than never," said Sen. Joe Zarelli, R-Ridgefield. "Over the last four years, we've increased spending by a full third, 33 percent, several billion dollars. It was way too much too quick."
The sustainability concerns raised in 2007 may get a quick vindication.
