All across the country, lawmakers are faced with grim state budget shortfalls that will mean devastating cuts to the social safety net. As a result of the national recession, Washington state faces one of the worst economic downturns in over 80 years. In the past two years lawmakers have balanced the state budget by cutting $5 billion in critical services including health care, education, the environment, services for individuals with differing abilities, and other safety net programs. Many of the programs that have been eliminated or are slated to be eliminated are programs that communities of color rely on.
In response to these crises, Washington CAN!, and Alliance for a Just Society affiliate, kicked off a season of direct action on Martin Luther King Day to advance policies that increase revenues and preserve public programs that are critical to communities. Continue reading
