Our state is facing its worst budget crisis in history. Hawai'i's constitution requires that we operate on a balanced budget, and the Legislature must approve such a budget prior to adjournment, now scheduled for May 7. We do not have the luxury of phasing in a comprehensive reorganization over time.

Current budget proposals and prior actions by Gov. Linda Lingle have already severely cut education, healthcare, human services, mental health, environmental protection, parks, and numerous other government services. In addition, the Legislature recently passed bills that would raise taxes on tobacco, top incomes, overnight visitors, and real-estate transactions greater than $2 million.

We have cut positions from various state programs and agencies and eliminated contract services, resulting in layoffs of many involved in the human services sector.

Virtually every area that is subject to further cuts — the tech sector, education, health, human services, environment, and others — all are saying "not me" and making valid arguments on the importance of their continued existence. Every area contemplating reductions can accurately claim that future potential damage — to human factors, the economy and the environment — far exceeds the relatively small savings that will result from individual cuts. Likewise, every proposed tax increase can claim negative economic impacts will be forthcoming.

With our state budget in a financial vise, with services being reduced and taxes increased, anger and frustration are now being turned toward public workers. While the real blame should fall on those who created this international financial crisis, it seems that for many, it is easier to just beat up on public workers.

It is easy, perhaps, to throw stones at public workers until you remember that public workers are people. They are our friends and our neighbors, and they provide valuable services to our community. Public workers are the clerks behind the counter, the librarians, the teachers, the firefighters and police officers who are out on the street every day trying to make life better for all of us.

Those shouting loudest in their denigration and who insist that they carry the biggest load in balancing our state's budget will also be the first to complain when the line is too long at the licensing counter, when the libraries are closed on Saturdays, when there are 40 students in their child's fifth-grade class and when the police, fire and paramedics are not there within minutes of the call.

Those shouting the loudest want it all. They want the services but they refuse to help pay for them via higher fees or taxes. They want and demand the service, but they want the public worker to both deliver the service and pay for it too via reduced wages and benefits.

Public worker wages are bargained for and agreed to via a contract among the state, the counties and the public worker unions. Gov. Lingle, on behalf of the state of Hawai'i, has signed and agreed to contracts with these workers, promising to pay them a certain wage and provide certain working conditions. This is the nature of a collective bargaining agreement.

To begin arbitrarily cutting their pay and reducing their benefits is not only unfair but is in all likelihood illegal.

The collective bargaining and contract negotiations with unions on the possible reduction of public-worker wages and benefits are the purview of the administration, and the governor has indicated these negotiations will not be concluded for several more months.

Until these negotiations are complete, the Legislature must make the hard choices, and balance the state budget with the tools that are in hand. The primary options available to us are increasing program cuts, reducing tax credits and raising taxes in various segments of the economy.

In the end, there is no doubt that all in our community, public and private alike, will shoulder a portion of the burden in helping to resolve the budget crisis now before us.

Reach Gary Hooser at (Unknown address).

Sen. Gary Hooser, D-7th (Kaua'i, Ni'ihau) is the Senate majority leader. He wrote this commentary for The Advertiser.