Federal job cuts have far-reaching effects, says Murray
Potential mass layoffs by Elon Musk’s government efficiency task force would result in a halt of services like Social Security, environmental clean-up and forecasts for wildfire fighters.
That was the main message from Senator Patty Murray on a call with reporters Tuesday.
"The American government is not just Twitter," the Washington senator said. "You can't just run around breaking things and hope for the best. Americans rely on our federal workforce."
Murray was joined by three former federal employees — including Jon Fox, a Spokanite and recently retired forecaster in the National Weather Service.
"For the National Weather Service employees, their mission is to save lives and property and promote the enhancement of the national economy. That is their sole focus, and they take their responsibility quite seriously," he said. "Frankly, I think they deserve better from this administration."
He and the other speakers highlighted inconsistent reasonings for employees being put on leave and the “cruel and devastating” effects that future cuts to already understaffed agencies like Social Security might have.
Sen. Murray also underlined how cuts by Elon Musk and his government efficiency task force are not just imperiling the livelihoods of federal workers but endangering the local economies that those federal workers contribute to.
"You tell me what’s going to happen to the little corner pizza if 10 employees in that little community are laid off and replaced by AI," she said. "That pizza shop’s not going to stay open, and I know this because that’s what happened in government shutdowns before when federal employees were not getting their salaries."
Speakers also pointed out the stress this uncertain environment is putting federal workers under.
“I've heard stories about people having panic attacks so severe that they landed in the (5:48) ER," retired EPA employee and current treasurer of AFGE Local 1110 in Seattle Helen Bottcher said. "I've heard stories about people who can't sleep and who become just physically ill because of the stress.
"They're worried about their jobs. They're worried about their families. They're also worried about their work and the communities they serve."
Funding cuts mean less forest upkeep this year
Before the Trump administration began to look at major financial cuts to numerous agencies, Congress slashed millions of dollars from the Forest Service budget last fall.
A volunteer group that performs trail maintenance and assistance in National Forests says visitors can expect to see less of that work going on this year.
One result of the cuts will be 2,500 fewer temporary seasonal employees nationwide this year. Kindra Ramos of the volunteer group, Washington Trails association, says that means far fewer workers to do some specific jobs.
"The seasonal forest service employees do everything from trail maintenance to infrastructure maintenance. Trash cans are emptied; bathrooms are cleaned," Ramos told SPR News. "They often are wilderness rangers or staffing the visitor centers."
Ramos says the budget cuts will also mean her volunteer group will have less support from the Forest Service in terms of materials and other support to do their own trail maintenance work.
The forest service budget reductions are not expected to affect any of the 11,000 seasonal firefighter positions.
Officials with the Colville and the Idaho Panhandle National Forests have not yet answered inquiries about how many seasonal employees they expect to lose this season.
Spokane Valley lawmaker says WA needs more recounts. Election workers disagree.
Spokane Valley state Representative Rob Chase wants counties to do post-election recounts of ballots to help restore confidence in the state’s election system.
Chase has proposed a bill that would require each county to hire independent companies to do hand recounts of physical ballots in at least a dozen precincts.
"This is a good bill for the legislature, for everyone who is concerned about and wants to know that there’s integrity in the elections here in Washington state," he said during a House State Government Committee hearing Tuesday.
According to some county elections officials, including Lori Larsen from Stevens County, Chase's proposal is unnecessary and expensive
"Auditors conduct several types of audits, logic and accuracy tests before elections, random audits after Election Night and risk-limiting audits," Larsen said at the same hearing. "In my six years as auditor, these audits have revealed zero discrepancies."
Larsen said state law already gives outside parties the right to ask for recounts if they pay for them.
ID legislators delay food assistance restriction bill
A bill that would forbid Idaho food benefit recipients from using taxpayer dollars to buy candy or soda is getting put on ice for a couple of weeks.
Republican Rep. Jordan Redman says SNAP, formerly known as food stamps, shouldn’t allow enrollees to buy sugary treats that have propelled an obesity epidemic in the U.S.
"The purpose of SNAP is to provide a more nutritious diet for low-income households. In particular, Congress sought to alleviate hunger and malnutrition, but the program has departed from the original intention and purpose," Redman said.
Republican Rep. Lucas Cayler supports the bill. But he said the House Health and Welfare Committee should take two weeks to further hash out the details.
"If I were writing I would’ve included a whole lot more with regard to what kind of foods should we be regulating that are incredibly unhealthy," Cayler said.
Dawn Pierce, a board member for the Idaho Hunger Relief Task Force, opposed the bill. She said SNAP recipients aren’t responsible for America’s obesity epidemic.
"That is a misleading and harmful overreach and further demonizes the least and the last of our neighbors," Pierce said.
Lobbyists for retail stores and grocers also testified against the measure, saying it would be too complicated to implement and would limit customers’ freedom of choice.
About 130,000 Idahoans enrolled for SNAP benefits during the most recent federal fiscal year.
Committee members will regroup on the issue in late-February.
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Reporting contributed by Owen Henderson, Steve Jackson, Doug Nadvornick and James Dawson.