Editor’s Note: On April 16 the bishops of Washington state asked Gov. Jay Inslee and state legislators to make funding for safety net programs for the poor the top priority in the 2013–2015 budget. The full text of their letter appears below.
Dear Governor/Legislator,As the Catholic bishops of Washington state, we ask that you consider the moral and human dimensions of state policy as you debate the 2013–2015 budget. We understand the difficult choices that confront you in your efforts to meet the diverse needs of our citizens.
We are especially sensitive to the disparity between demands for spending and available revenue, and we ask that your budget decisions protect the poor and vulnerable who rely on the state for essential services. As Catholic pastors, we remind you that economic decisions possess a clear and compelling moral dimension. Funding for low-income families, the poor and homeless has been cut dramatically over the past four years, and we have a moral obligation to maintain an adequate safety net for programs that serve the most vulnerable among us.
As you debate the budget, we hope these considerations will provide the foundation for your spending decisions. In keeping with these criteria, we ask that you fund services essential to those among us who are poorest and most in need, such as:• The Housing and Essential Needs program, which provides a safety net for mentally or physically disabled persons who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.• The Working Connections Child Care program, which provides subsidies for child care to low-income working parents and poor families.• The Housing Trust Fund, which provides funding to build housing for low-income individuals and families.
These services truly address the essential needs of the least among us, our brothers and sisters who are poor and vulnerable.
As always, we offer these thoughts as Catholic pastors to contribute constructively to your discussions and the difficult task of balancing the many needs of our people. You may rely on our prayers during your deliberations over the important and difficult task of crafting a state budget.
Sincerely,Archbishop J. Peter Sartain, Archdiocese of SeattleBishop Blase J. Cupich, Diocese of SpokaneBishop Joseph J. Tyson, Diocese of YakimaBishop Eusebio Elizondo, M.Sp.S., auxiliary bishop of Seattle