Here’s the evidence:
Rossi twice voted for a bill to modify teacher cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) within the state biennial operating budget by removing the following provisions: requirements for a COLA for the 2003-05 biennium; provisions declaring that the COLAs are a “basic education” element; and the language of I-732 that required the state to provide funding for all school district staff, rather than just those included in state formula staff allocations. [SB 6059, 4/16/03; SB 6059, 6/4/03]
The Senate has voted to suspend the yearly cost-of-living raises for teachers mandated by voters less than three years ago. Wednesday’s move was the third citizen initiative overturned by lawmakers in 24 hours as part of the Senate’s plan to balance the budget without a general tax increase. “We have a $490 million obligation which we don’t have the money for,” Ways and Means Chairman Dino Rossi, R-Sammamish, said of the teacher pay initiative. “When times get better, we’ll be able to do better. Right now times are tough.” The suspension of Initiative 732, Senate Bill 6059, passed 27-22, with five Democrats joining 22 Republicans. Three Republicans and 19 Democrats voted no, arguing against overturning the will of the voters…SB 6059 also clarifies that the state is not obligated to pay raises to teachers who are paid from other sources of money than the state’s basic support for education. That would negate a Washington Supreme Court ruling that extended the pay raises to such teachers. [Associated Press, 4/17/03]
Download the billand read it for yourself.