OLYMPIA—Saying times are extremely difficult, Gov. Gary Locke today called on protesting teachers to understand deep cuts in his proposed two-year, $23-billion general fund budget—a budget that would suspend annual cost-of-living increases for education employees.

At the same time, Locke said his proposal would not cancel two voter-approved education initiatives—Initiatives 728 and 732—as widely thought. It would only temporarily delay its implementation to close the $2.4 billion budget deficit.

Locke, in an open letter to teachers, said the $400 million provided by Initiative 728 during the past two years to reduce class size in public schools would remain in his proposed budget. His proposal only delays further enhancements until the 2005-06 school year.

Locke also said suspending Initiative 732’s automatic, annual cost-of-living increases for educational employees does not mean all raises will be eliminated for educators. It will not affect annual step increases teachers receive for acquiring education credits and additional years of experience.

The automatic cost-of-living adjustment for all teachers will be reinstated in 2005, Locke added.

Earlier, public school teacher announced plans to take part in the January 14 rally to press Olympia to honor voter initiatives mandating increases in education spending, including the automatic cost-of-living increases for teachers and funding for class size reduction. The announcement came after Locke, in December, unveiled deep cuts in his proposed two-year, $23-billion General Fund Budget.

“These are extremely difficult times in our state,” Locke, in his letter, said.

“Thousands of people have lost their jobs, businesses are suffering and families are struggling to make ends meet. That’s why I am proposing a general fund budget with no tax increase, (but a budget that) requires us to live within our means,” he added, in explaining deep cuts in the budget, which affects the two voter-approved education initiatives.

Locke, nonetheless, said education remains his priority. He said proposed budget would spend $10.6 billion on public schools, which is more than the current biennial budget. Under his proposal, public schools, colleges and universities would receive 56 percent of the general fund budget.

Besides suspending Initiatives 728 and 732, other education proposals of Locke:

• Refine and clarify the Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL), particularly regarding the Certificate of Mastery, which student will be required to complete for graduation starting in 2008. Locke’s proposal would establish reading, writing and mathematics as the assessment areas for the Certificate of Mastery. His proposal would also set 2008 as the year the Certificate of Mastery becomes mandatory for graduation and provide for appropriate alternative assessments and WASL retake opportunities.

• Strengthen the state’s Learning Assistance Program (LAP). According to Locke, the current LAP funding system punishes school districts when their students’ achievement improves. His proposal would stabilize allocations to school districts that need the help most. Locke also wanted to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the program to better support students who fail to meet the state standards in reading, writing and mathematics.

• Raise the public school levy lid. Locke’s proposal would allow school districts the opportunity to ask their local voters for levies up to 36 percent of their levy base. Voters in schools districts that have been restrained by lower levy limits, according to Locke, would be able to invest as much in their schools as other neighboring districts, creating more parity. Currently, state law limits school district’s ability to raise local levies to supplement state funding.

• Change the super majority that is now required to pass local education levies to a simple majority. This would come in the form of a proposed constitutional amendment that would change the 60 percent voter approval now required to 50 percent plus one vote.

• Reward teachers for achieving national board certification. Locke’s legislation would give teachers an annual bonus of $3,500 for every year they maintain certification from the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards.