A few weeks ago we editorialized about the stark choices lawmakers faced when they then met to balance the current state budget. Things have now gone from stark to grim.

The latest bad news comes from Gov. Chris Gregoire, who has given state lawmakers her budget for the next biennium. By law, the budget must be balanced – and she has done this.

Faced with growing deficits, Gregoire slashed programs in order to cut $4 billion from the 2011-2013 budget.

The question for lawmakers – and taxpayers, too – is to consider something Gregoire herself said about her efforts: “I hate my budget. I don’t think it’s moral.”

She’s right.

Some of her cuts are dramatic. She eliminated the State Arts Commission and the State Tourism Office. Her budget almost assures that tuition costs at state colleges will rise at double-digit rates. And state ferry service would be trimmed; however fares would rise by 10 percent – again, to make up for the budget deficit.

Taken together with a host of other cuts, the budget would eliminate about 3,800 full-time equivalent positions in state agencies, higher education and public schools.

Those would hurt, but they aren’t life-or-death issues.

Others are.

Her budget also eliminates the state’s Basic Health Plan, the program which provides subsidized insurance for the 66,000 people who, while working, are undeniably poor.

The budget also ends the Disability Lifeline. That one provides cash to thousands of disabled poor. They don’t even have hope of advancing to the working poor.

Gregoire’s budget isn’t the final word, but only the beginning. Legislators in the House and Senate will craft their own version of the budget when they convene next month. But, the governor says, lawmakers probably will end up where she did.

Realistically, they can’t raise taxes; voters blocked that avenue when they passed Tim Eyman’s initiative that requires a two-thirds vote in the Legislature or voter approval to increase taxes.

Yes, Democrats hold a majority in both houses, but they don’t command two-thirds of the votes.

Some point out that Gregoire’s budget also is hitting state workers. Yes, it’s true, but to what extent?

State workers, who have had to pay 12 percent of their health-care premiums, would have to pay 15 percent of them under Gregoire’s budget.

Workers still would get step increases, which give them more pay based on years of service. Gregoire says a hiring freeze would pay for those, but we suspect a “freeze” would soon thaw.

If the governor is right – that the cuts would be a disaster – then the Legislature needs to acknowledge this and approach the budget as if it faces an emergency.

That puts everything on the table: those step pay increases, a significantly higher percent of employee paid health-care premiums and even absolute pay cuts for state employees.

Do we deny the poor any type of health insurance?

Do we turn our back on the disabled who have no options at all?

Who, really, does the state need to take care of first?

The next state budget will answer these moral questions. We pray the Legislature is up to the task.