District 9 legislators are united in opposition to the state’s proposed budget cuts for higher education.

The same can be said for Chris Gregoire’s spending priorities during her time as Washington state governor.

State Sen. Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, said he is disappointed with the state’s focus on reducing spending for education and health care. Schoesler, a co-sponsor in the state’s 7 percent tuition cap passed in 2007, said he doesn’t approve of any plan to raise tuition beyond that figure.

“I am going to hold my promise to the students of Washington State University and Eastern Washington voters,” he said.

Gregoire proposed allowing universities to raise tuition by up to 14 percent on Tuesday. Her original proposal for tuition, released March 17, consisted of a two-year surcharge that would allow universities to raise tuition for two years.

Schoesler said the state could reduce spending if it reduces costs in other areas. He highlighted the state’s benefits for illegal immigrants and the state’s adult smoking cessation programs as a few of the programs that could be cut.

He also rejected Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown’s, D-Spokane, income tax proposal as a way to generate revenue to close the projected $9 billion deficit the state is facing during the next biennium. The proposal, released April 1, would create a 1 percent income tax on individuals earning more than $500,000 and families earning more than $1 million.

“It doesn’t matter what your tax structure is if you continue to outspend,” he said.

Rep. Don Cox, R-Colfax, said that as a representative of Eastern Washington, he had mixed feelings about tuition increases.

While adamant about reducing the proposed cuts for higher education spending, he said increased tuition is a possible solution for WSU, but it would be a disaster for Eastern Washington University, which generally attracts more low-income students.

“If WSU can say they can keep the time and cost of a degree relatively stable, I would be better off with that proposal,” he said.

The proposed Senate budget contains a 20 percent cut in higher education spending. The proposed House of Representatives budget contains a 29 percent cut in higher education spending.

Cox said the state should direct money planned for climate change initiatives and unemployment benefits to higher education, and not increase taxes in the process.

“My issue is that revenue isn’t the solution right now,” he said.

Joe Schmick, R-Colfax, said the cuts for higher education spending proposed by the House were far greater than what he was expecting.

“Frankly, I was shocked,” he said. “What was originally proposed by the chairman was livable.” When retooling the budget, he said the state needs to remain focused on his three priorities when he entered the state House: education, public safety and health care.

“We committed to the students,” he said, referring to the tuition cap. “There needs to be a line.”