The Senate just approved its operating budget proposal 25-19, sending it to the House of Representatives. You can find it here.

The plan re-balances the state budget, closing a $2.8 billion budget hole with $829 million in cuts, $918 million in new revenue and $1.1 billion in one time dollars. The latter includes federal dollars, reserves and fund shifts.

"This is an ugly time. None of us wants to put our schools, our colleges our universities and our economic futures at risk," said Sen. Margarita Prentice, a Renton Democrat and chairwoman of the Senate Ways and Means Committee. "This budget will protect Washington's economic future and the quality of life."

"Throughout this budget you'll find a number of firsts," said Sen. Phil Rockefeller, a Bainbridge Island Democrat who outlined a series of state government consolidations and payroll reductions.

"The goal of this budget is to move the process forward, to lead the state through very difficult times," said Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown, D-Spokane. "Over last year and this year, no one can say that significant reductions were not made in every single area of state government. No one can say that significant reforms were not made."

She said the plan would "demonstrate to the people of Washington that through tough economic times, their Legislature is working, is passing tough legislation but is being responsive to the needs of the state."

Seattle Sen. Ed Murray, chairman of the Senate Democratic Caucus, said the cuts made in the proposal represent a large series of hard choices.

"The cuts are very real," he said.