OLYMPIA, Wash. -- Washington state workers say potential budget cuts will hurt Washingtonians.

Because of the pandemic, the state is facing a $3.3 billion dollar shortfall through 2023.

Agencies like the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) have been asked to determine what a 15% cut would look like.

Koastyantin Unguryan, a spoken-language interpreter who contracts with state agencies, helps folks access health care and is especially worried about a lack of interpreters during the pandemic.

"Without access to interpreters, the most vulnerable will be denied access to public services and also to health care and life-saving medical treatment," Unguryan asserted. "So it is a very big concern on my mind right now."

Unguryan believes lawmakers should look elsewhere for revenue, including fixing the state's regressive tax system in which low- and middle-income Washingtonians pay a far greater percentage of their wages in taxes than do high-income residents.

Larry Nelson, an DSHS adult protection services investigator from Spokane, investigates crimes such as financial exploitation of older Washingtonians. He's concerned cuts will lead to fewer investigators and more crime against vulnerable Washingtonians.

Nelson believes the work is his calling, considering himself like a sheepdog protecting the flock.

"The job that I'm in right now gives me a greater sense of satisfaction in that I'm able to advocate and help protect those who have difficulty protecting themselves," Nelson explained.

Matthew Cox, a transportation systems technician for the Washington Department of Transportation in Wenatchee, ensures highways are safe to drive through functioning traffic signs and signals.

His work is critical in natural disasters such as avalanches that block the highway. He says many people may not know that he and his colleagues are first responders.

"We're the ones who are operating the shift to keep the highway lanes open," Cox contended. "I'm concerned because budgetary cuts, if that comes to start cutting jobs or we have to start laying people off, then we're not going to be able to provide the service to the highway that the public has come to depend on and require."

The 2021 legislative session convenes January 11.

ALBANY, N.Y. -- More changes went into effect this month at the U.S. Postal Service, and some New York postal workers worry about how the policies will impact the avalanche of mail this holiday season.

The Postal Service's new service standards, which went into effect on Oct. 1, include moving away from air mail delivery for first-class mail.

It is expected mail traveling less than 1,000 miles will reach its destination in three days, and mail traveling more than 1,900 miles will take about five days. The Postal Service said these efforts are meant to cut costs.

John Tabak, president of the American Postal Workers Union Local 390 in Albany, said the changes are regrettable.

"Standards for the Post Office should not be slowed," Tabak argued. "The future of the Post Office isn't more automation. It's not in going back to trucks. It's not in going back to sorting mail by hand. It's in innovation, and there is a possibility here to innovate its way out, but it takes some money, and right now the Post Office doesn't have it."

These latest changes are part of Postmaster General Louis DeJoy's 10-year plan for the service, called "Delivering for America," which aims to avoid $160 billion in losses by 2030 and includes modernizing the vehicle fleet, as well as investments in processing facilities.

Other new changes to the Postal Service include cuts to office hours.

Chuck Zlatkin, legislative and political director of the New York Metro Area Postal Union, said it remains to be seen what impact the changes will have on the busy holiday months ahead. He is concerned the changes will privatize the Postal Service.

"People should understand that postal workers are fully aware of the job that they do, the importance of it to the public, and that they feel terrible about these delays in service," Zlatkin observed. "It's not the postal workers' fault. They're on your side."

DeJoy said last month the Postal Service is hiring 40,000 seasonal workers.

Zlatkin contended it is critical for Congress to pass the Postal Service Reform Act, which would eliminate the pre-funding of future retiree health benefits and add new measures to better hold Postal Service leadership accountable.

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Gov. Roy Cooper said this week, North Carolina lawmakers are on the cusp of passing legislation he believes will put the state on track to tackle the climate crisis.

The governor spoke at a virtual gathering of Democratic governors hosted by the Center for Innovative Policy. Cooper said he has reached a deal with Republican lawmakers over House Bill 951, which would mandate the shutdown of coal-fired power plants and take other steps to help the state achieve a 70% reduction in carbon emissions by the year 2030.

"I think long-term, however, fighting climate change and making sure that North Carolina does its part on reduction of carbon emissions is critical," Cooper stated.

Critics of the legislation argued it does not go far enough in addressing the climate crisis. They claim it would significantly hike electric bills for residential ratepayers, by some estimates up to 50% over the next three years.

Cooper told his fellow governors the state is also working to boost its workforce for clean-energy jobs, especially in the solar industry.

"And we're working with our community colleges to establish paid internships in minority communities to work in the renewable energy field," Cooper reported.

Cooper also pointed to efforts at the Department of Transportation, developing a strategic plan to establish interstate electric vehicle-charging infrastructure.

"We're also going to work very hard to get more electric vehicles on the road, and we're encouraging our state government to purchase more electric vehicles," Cooper explained. "We're going to try to get 80,000 more of them on our roads for the next few years."

North Carolinians continue to suffer the health consequences of polluted air from fossil fuels. Residents of the Raleigh-Cary area experienced 33 days of elevated air pollution in 2020, according to a new report from Environment North Carolina Research and Policy Center.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - A lack of public scrutiny may have contributed to South Dakota becoming a global leader as a tax haven, and one political expert says it's hard for locals to follow what's happening because it hasn't been part of the state's identity.

The Pandora Papers, released by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, said South Dakota is home to $360 billion in trusts that belong to a range of international clients. These shelters may be legal, but they're tied to some individuals accused of human-rights abuses.

Dave Wiltse, a political-science professor at South Dakota State University, said polling from his department suggests most South Dakotans are unware of this growing sector.

"It doesn't come on their radar for some very logical reasons," he said, "and it stays out of their attention for very logical reasons."

In the poll, more than three out of four South Dakotans incorrectly cited agriculture as the state's top industry - even though the financial industry now plays a prominent role. Wiltse added that the financial policies are complex and not easy for most people to absorb. He said he doesn't have an opinion about them, but watchdogs say the findings underscore the need for regulatory reforms.

While certain state laws were modified to elevate this part of the state's financial sector, Wiltse noted that a lot of it was driven by people behind the scenes.

"The lobbyists, together with regulators and members of the executive [branch]," he said, "because they have the expertise."

The groups calling for reforms have said these high-dollar trusts allow global elites to avoid paying taxes. While that may be true compared with other types of investments, Wiltse noted that these "hidden" financial services have played a role in boosting growth for cities such as Sioux Falls.