State House Democrats rolled out their supplemental operating budget proposal for the 2019-21 biennium on Monday in Olympia, which makes adjustments to the two-year budget lawmakers approved last year.<\/p>\n
It focuses on addressing emergent needs across the state in housing insecurity and homelessness, affordability of childcare and health-care access, according to a Washington House Democrats news release. These were some of the top priorities the caucus laid out at the start of the legislative session.<\/p>\n
“This budget articulates our values and makes decisions that commit this state to standing up for what people want in their government,” said House Majority Leader Pat Sullivan, D-Covington, in the news release. “Even in a supplemental budget year, we used the good economic forecast to make investments that will give our children and grandchildren a chance at a fair shake.”<\/p>\n
“These are important and valuable investments focused on areas that need to be addressed right now, this year,” said House Appropriations Chair Rep. Timm Ormsby, D-Spokane. “That’s what a responsible supplemental budget should focus on, and this one does exactly that.”<\/p>\n
One of the biggest investments is a $100 million transfer from the state’s general fund to the Housing Trust Fund, which will go toward new affordable housing projects, homeless shelters and programs that maintain affordable housing stock.<\/p>\n
This brings the state’s total investment in the Housing Trust Fund to $275 million for the 2019-21 biennium.<\/p>\n
The budget also invests in increasing access to and affordability of childcare, the lack of which hurts both families and businesses across the state.<\/p>\n
An additional $56 million will go toward helping families with low incomes pay for childcare, as well as investments to maintain subsidized pre-school slots for 3- and 4-year-olds who are most at risk of not being kindergarten-ready. <\/p>\n
Bringing down the cost of health care for families and addressing emergent behavioral and public health needs is also prioritized in the budget proposal.<\/p>\n
“Despite this being a supplemental budget year, we knew more has to be done to address our state’s health care and behavioral health needs,” said Vice Chair of Appropriations Rep. June Robinson, D-Everett. “We’ve targeted our investments toward the people and families that need it the most.”<\/p>\n
In addition to increasing Medicaid primary care and nursing home rates, the budget boosts support for rural health clinics, foundational public health, and the state’s response to the coronavirus.<\/p>\n
Behavioral health also receives additional investments in the budget, including $38 million for state hospital operations for staffing and facility needs.<\/p>\n
Other areas of investment in the budget include $41 million to ease restrictions on temporary cash assistance to the state’s neediest families, $27.3 million to increase fire suppression funding at the state Department of Natural Resources, $17.6 million toward critical ongoing support for Washington State Department of Fish & Wildlife operations, $18.9 million to address staffing and community custody needs at the Washington State Department of Corrections, and $1.3 million to fund the new state Office of Equity, which will reduce systemic disparities within state government.<\/p>\n
The proposal does not rely on any new taxes or fund transfers. It leaves about $685 million in reserves for the biennium.<\/p>\n
Full details of the proposal can be viewed at:<\/p>\n