WOMEN'S SHELTERS FALL VICTIM TO FUNDING CUTS

Gov. Bob Holden has until Saturday to sign or veto bills passed by the Legislature and sent to his desk. Some decisions he has already made are raising eyebrows, however.

When Holden outlined his priorities for the legislative session, he placed domestic violence near the top, alongside such priorities as education, transportation and health care. He proposed $3 million to fund battered women's shelters and pledged to appoint a task force to assess the state's domestic violence programs. The governor also told lawmakers that less than half the state's counties have domestic violence centers and almost 5,000 women and children were turned away from shelters in 1999 because there wasn't enough room.

That was January. This is July.

Six months after his impassioned remarks in favor of more funding for women's shelters, the task force still hasn't been appointed. Holden administration officials say they're working on it.

Moreover, Holden vetoed $1 million in new shelters lawmakers had placed in the budget, citing a problem with the way the funding was worded. The cut was one of $36.1 million in Holden vetoes. The vetoed money was intended to start 20 shelters in areas where there are none.

Holden left in place $1 million in existing grants to expand domestic violence programs. Advocates for the funding say this will mean about $5,000 per shelter.

So it appears that a tight state budget situation, worsened by revenue receipts falling short of forecasts even though state revenue is up substantially -- is claiming its share of casualties. Add the fight against domestic violence to the list.