OLYMPIA, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – Gov. Bob Ferguson is proposing nearly $4 billion in spending cuts to tackle the state’s critical budget deficit.

Gov. Ferguson detailed his plan to address the projected $15 billion budget shortfall during a press conference at the state capitol on Thursday morning.

He emphasized that several key services will not be affected by the spending cuts, including K-12 education, public safety and homelessness and housing assistance.

One of Ferguson’s strategies to put a leash on new spending would pause or slowly phase in new and proposed programs.

“Here’s an example: we achieve $144 million in savings by gradually implementing the proposed rate increase to childcare centers over four years, instead of all at once on July 1,” Gov. Ferguson said at the press conference. “In other words, these individuals will receive this expansion, it’s just going to take a little bit longer.”

Gov. Ferguson says his office is also reconsidering some spending in the current two-year budget.

“If the legislature of two years ago knew that we’d be facing a $15 billion shortfall, I’m confident some of those investments would not have happened,” Ferguson said.

The governor also suggested a requirement that most state employees take one furlough day per month over the next two years, a move that he says would save $300 million.

He says his proposed cuts will add to former governor Jay Inslee’s previous budget proposal for $3 billion in savings.

“Including the proposals from Gov. Inslee, we are approximately halfway toward closing the $15 billion budget shortfall ,” Ferguson said. “Another way to think about it, I think we’re about 43% through the [legislative] session and nearly 50% of the way toward solving the shortfall. So we’re on schedule, but we have a lot of work to do.”

Gov. Ferguson adds that the spending cuts are simply recommendations to the state legislature and not clear and cut decisions.