It’s springtime finally and I hope you are as happy about it as I am. There is a little over one month left in the Legislative Session and much of our attention is turning to the biennial budget. The Legislature passes a biennial budget every two years and it funds basic services and programs offered to the public, as well as the government operations. There are many priorities to fund and limited resources. I am happy to share some of those budget highlights with you, as well as share some thoughts I have about my time in Olympia.
What’s in the budget?
My colleagues in the Appropriation Committee released a new state biennial (two-year covering July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2021) budget this week. The “Putting People First” budget makes investments I am very supportive of, including additional funding for special education and local school districts, and a major Workforce Education Investment package for community and technical colleges. New funding goes to important programs in early childhood education and child care, including high-quality pre-kindergarten, and programs that work to keep families in their homes and out of poverty.
I’m also pleased to see addition funding for services with people with mental illness and substance use disorder. Too many people are struggling in our communities and you can see the impact in our jails, our hospitals, and on our streets. We need to get them the care they need and into appropriate services.
I am very happy to see so much funding for our state community and technical colleges and for the students of our institutions of higher education. The State Need Grant is being renamed to the Washington College Grant and with the new name comes new funding. The House Democratic budget fully funds the grant and expands it to include even more students. This is a huge win for the Washington students struggling to afford the education they need for the career they want. Additionally, the Washington Education Investment puts more money into high-demand degrees, like nursing, computer science, and engineering.
As the Senate and House negotiate final budgets, I will advocate for these important investments in our local communities, our students, our workers, and our community and technical colleges.
Meet Simrun
If you have called or emailed my office, there is a good chance you have interacted with Simrun Chhabra, my legislative assistant.
Simrun is from Lynnwood, WA and is a graduate of Western Washington University with a degree in Human Services. At Western, she was the Associated Students President and is passionate about civic engagement. She hopes to pursue Civil Rights Law. In her free time, she enjoys cooking with her family, painting, reading, and hiking. She is excited to serve the 47th Legislative District and meet you all.
Let’s talk this summer
When the Legislative Session ends in late April, I hope to begin scheduling to attend meetings and events in our local community. Whether it’s a one-on-one meeting to talk about issues important to you, or a large event you would like me to attend, or anything in between, I want to be there. Please contact my office and let me know if you have something in mind for me to attend.
Thank you to everyone who came to the town hall last weekend. If you did not make it and/or have comments, please contact my office and we will be happy to get back to you.
Debra