PULLMAN: WSU says proposed budget would mean job, enrollment cuts

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• College officials in Whatcom County brace for mid-year budget cuts

  College officials in Whatcom County brace for mid-year budget cuts

  BELLINGHAM - State-funded colleges and universities are bracing for another round of state funding reductions, and this year very little is off the table, according to Whatcom County college officials.

  Gov. Chris Gregoire has once again asked state agencies to look at how additional 5 and 10 percent budget cuts would affect them. But for public higher education, mid-year cuts may be even deeper, with college and university officials looking at the impact of cuts of up to 23 percent.

  "Mid-year budget reductions are extremely challenging as we have already set our work plan in motion for the year," wrote Nathan Langstraat, public information officer for Whatcom Community College, in response to questions. "For example, we are already running specific programs, degrees and certificates with cohorts of students. Making changes to these academic offerings is not easy since we've already made commitments to students, faculty and our community partners."

• LEGISLATURE: Capital-gains tax proposal introduced

  LEGISLATURE: Capital-gains tax proposal introduced

  State Rep. Laurie Jinkins of Tacoma has introduced a capital-gains tax proposal to help fix a state budget problem now measuring about $1.5 billion.

  Jinkins, a Democrat, said a 5 percent tax on realized capital gains could raise $215 million to $650 million a year for education, health care and universities.

  The tax would piggyback on federal returns, and its amount would vary with the economy's health.

• Gregoire gives budget message in Tri-Cities

  Gregoire gives budget message in Tri-Cities

  RICHLAND -- Gov. Chris Gregoire told students and staff members at Columbia Basin College's Health Science Center in Richland on Friday that she didn't want to propose deep cuts to higher education, but is left with little choice.

  In a list of possible budget cuts unveiled Thursday, Gregoire said she is likely to propose cutting 15 percent of the state's financial support for public colleges and universities.

  But she said she believes doing that will be harmful to the state in the long term.

• Tri-City education officials fear potential cuts to their budgets

  Tri-City education officials fear potential cuts to their budgets

  Tri-City school and college officials bristled at potential cuts to their budgets that Gov. Chris Gregoire suggested Thursday.

  The governor unveiled a list of reductions for legislators to consider during the upcoming special session, which begins Nov. 28. Lawmakers are trying to close a projected $2 billion budget gap.

  The cost-cutting options included some extreme suggestions that are unlikely to even be discussed, such as cutting school bus service statewide.

• Governor's budget proposal includes grants for Hanford interests

  Governor's budget proposal includes grants for Hanford interests

  Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire has included enough money for grants in her proposed supplemental budget to cover the cost of all but one grant to Hanford interest groups.

  Five public participation grants for Hanford-related use already had been awarded to four agencies to be spent over two years starting July 1, 2011. The grants were among $2.5 million in public participation money awarded to 40 organizations by the state Department of Ecology statewide for the 2011-13 biennium.

  But as it looked for ways to trim its budget up to 15 percent, the Department of Ecology had proposed cutting public participation money already authorized from $2.5 million to $361,454.