OLYMPIA –Sen. Ed Murray, D-Seattle, chairman of the budget-writing Senate Ways & Means Committee, today proposed a supplemental operating budget that would avoid cuts to K-12 and higher education seen in other proposals.

“This is a modest budget based on modest improvements we’ve seen in our economy and the demand for state services,” said Sen. Murray. “We wrote a budget that protects our schools, colleges and universities first.”

Since passing a balanced budget last year, projected revenues for the state have declined by $2 billion. The balanced budget proposed in the Senate today, represented in Senate Bill 5967, builds on work done by the Legislature in a special session in December, makes policy and budget changes, cuts some services, and leaves a reserve of $370 million.

Gov. Chris Gregoire proposed a budget in November, and members of the House issued their own proposal earlier in the current legislative session. A final budget must be agreed upon by both the House and Senate before going to the governor for her signature.

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For more information:           Adam Wilson, 360-786-7328