The metal detectors at the Capitol must have been off this weekend, when lawmakers smuggled in scissors big enough to make $4 billion in cuts during Saturday's 2009-11 state budget session. The Senate approved the state's shaky $35 billion operating budget by relying on federal money, one-time transfers, and cuts, lots and lots of cuts, to make up Washington's $9 billion deficit. The grim budget reaper visited higher education, K-12 education, health care, public safety and social services. Which pretty much means: more pink slips for state workers, state universities are the new Ivy League, the worth of school teachers is questioned, 40,000 people lose state-subsidized health coverage, the jails will release more crazies and no one better "opt out," or we lose our parks. more ›