Rep. Timm Ormsby of Spokane to chair House budget panel

OLYMPIA — Rep. Timm Ormsby (D-Spokane) has been named Chair of the budget-writing Appropriations Committee in the Washington state House of Representatives.

Ormsby‘s appointment comes as lawmakers prepare for what is widely predicted to be the most challenging budget session in memory.  The state’s operating budget is written during odd-year legislative sessions, and lawmakers this year set 2017 as the session in which they would adopt a solution to the multi-billion-dollar increases in K-12 investments called for in the state Supreme Court’s McCleary decision.

“There’s no doubt that this will be a difficult session,” Ormsby said.  “But I’ve been here for well over a decade and I haven’t seen an easy one yet.  What we want is to create a state budget that is fair, smart, humane and sustainable, and that’s never a simple task.  If I’m in this position when the 2017 Legislature is seated, I’ll work with the best minds, and the best hearts, in both parties and both chambers to get us there.”

Ormsby, whose 3rd legislative district includes much of Spokane, has served in the state House since 2003 and has been vice-chair of the Appropriations Committee since 2012.