3.27.17

Suggested lead:  Democrats in the state House of Representatives outlined their four-year spending plan Monday in Olympia, one they say will make the Supreme Court and middle-class taxpayers very happy.  Dan Frizzell has that story.

Wrap (:78 total):  Calling it a “families first contract between generations,” majority House Democrats released their proposed state operating budget Monday afternoon in Olympia.  Representative Timm Ormsby, the top budget writer in the House, said the budget makes more than $7 billion in additional K-12 investments over the next four years and will bring the state into compliance on fully funding basic education.  Also contained in the 230-page plan are boosted investments in early learning, higher education, human services, housing and homelessness, parks, and quality care for the state’s aging and developmentally disabled populations.  Many of these areas saw cuts in the competing budget offered by Senate Republicans.

ORMSBY:  "This families-first contract between generations, took a look at our needs, and where we’re doing things well and where need to improve, and we’ve identified those things.  This is about families, and about their success, and our program of basic education is a fundamental part of family success. " [:16]. 

Stakeholders in Olympia applauded the Democratic budget for rejecting a central part of the Senate Republican spending plan:  A multi-billion-dollar property tax hike on middle- and lower-income families.  After a public hearing in the budget committee Monday, lawmakers expect to vote on the Democratic proposal later this week.  Reporting from Olympia, I’m Dan Frizzell.