Office of Governor Gary Locke
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - April 27, 2000
Contact: Governor's Communications Office, 360-902-4136
"The budget approved by the House and Senate goes well beyond the mid-course adjustment that is typical of supplemental budgets," Locke said. "This budget goes beyond expectations. It changes fiscal policy, advancing our goal of making Washington's public schools the best in the nation."
Legislators approved the budget on the fourth day of a second special session that Locke convened on Monday. Lawmakers, who had become deadlocked over the budget, rapidly reached agreement as they worked on a compromise budget proposal the governor offered last week.
Locke said that while responding to the fiscal impacts of Initiative 695 and the need to improve education funding, the budget also provides significant increases in transportation funding.
"This budget strikes a balance," Locke said. "Over five years, the budget approved by the Legislature will provide more than $1.5 billion in new funding for public schools and $1.5 billion in new funding for transportation, including $1 billion for roads."
When this year's legislative session began, the governor said education dollars must not be sacrificed for transportation, which was hit hard by I-695.
"The budget approved by the Legislature does not sacrifice education but still goes a long way in replacing transportation dollars that were lost as a result of the initiative," Locke said.
The governor said the budget represents a measured and responsible response to the voters' decision to abolish the "car tax," the motor vehicle tax that had been providing $750 million a year for local governments' public safety, health and transit services, as well as state transportation programs.
The budget provides more than $265 million to help local governments cope with revenue losses and to provide one-time funding to maintain essential transit services while local transit systems identify long-term funding solutions.
It also finances critical transportation needs, including highway congestion relief projects, freight mobility improvements, highway safety improvements and maintenance of basic state ferry service.
"I am disappointed that the House and Senate could not agree on a property tax cut for those I worry about most - seniors and disabled people who fear they could be taxed out of their homes," the governor said.
Locke said he was certain that lawmakers would return to the property-tax issue in their next session because "it is essential that we provide tax cuts as we move forward with plans to improve education and transportation.
"As a matter of fairness - and of balance - it must be addressed," he added.
The governor said he came to this year's legislative session with an ambitious agenda that set the "high water mark" for what could be accomplished. He complimented the Legislature for the work it did in exceeding expectations and pointed to new legislation that:
- Creates a new teacher-testing system and a teachers' professional standards board to help ensure qualified professionals work with children.
- Establishes a Patients' Bill of Rights, which gives patients and their doctors more control over health care.
- Creates new pipeline safety rules that will better protect the public from underground fuel pipeline accidents.
- Helps prevent vulnerable adults from becoming victims and cracks down on abusers.
- Speeds economic development by bringing advanced telecommunications systems to rural areas.
- Significantly cuts unemployment-insurance taxes for Washington employers while providing millions of dollars more to help laid-off workers train for the new economy.
"The 2000 legislative session was tough; it was hard, and yes, it was rancorous," Locke said. "But as we stand here today, we have much to show for it. The Legislature can go home proud of the work it has done. And for that, it's our citizens of our state who are the winners."
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - April 27, 2000
Contact: Governor's Communications Office, 360-902-4136
Locke applauds budget that invests in education, transportation
OLYMPIA - Gov. Gary Locke hailed the supplemental budget approved by the Legislature today as a victory over "business as usual" and said he would sign the budget into law as soon as possible."The budget approved by the House and Senate goes well beyond the mid-course adjustment that is typical of supplemental budgets," Locke said. "This budget goes beyond expectations. It changes fiscal policy, advancing our goal of making Washington's public schools the best in the nation."
Legislators approved the budget on the fourth day of a second special session that Locke convened on Monday. Lawmakers, who had become deadlocked over the budget, rapidly reached agreement as they worked on a compromise budget proposal the governor offered last week.
Locke said that while responding to the fiscal impacts of Initiative 695 and the need to improve education funding, the budget also provides significant increases in transportation funding.
"This budget strikes a balance," Locke said. "Over five years, the budget approved by the Legislature will provide more than $1.5 billion in new funding for public schools and $1.5 billion in new funding for transportation, including $1 billion for roads."
When this year's legislative session began, the governor said education dollars must not be sacrificed for transportation, which was hit hard by I-695.
"The budget approved by the Legislature does not sacrifice education but still goes a long way in replacing transportation dollars that were lost as a result of the initiative," Locke said.
The governor said the budget represents a measured and responsible response to the voters' decision to abolish the "car tax," the motor vehicle tax that had been providing $750 million a year for local governments' public safety, health and transit services, as well as state transportation programs.
The budget provides more than $265 million to help local governments cope with revenue losses and to provide one-time funding to maintain essential transit services while local transit systems identify long-term funding solutions.
It also finances critical transportation needs, including highway congestion relief projects, freight mobility improvements, highway safety improvements and maintenance of basic state ferry service.
"I am disappointed that the House and Senate could not agree on a property tax cut for those I worry about most - seniors and disabled people who fear they could be taxed out of their homes," the governor said.
Locke said he was certain that lawmakers would return to the property-tax issue in their next session because "it is essential that we provide tax cuts as we move forward with plans to improve education and transportation.
"As a matter of fairness - and of balance - it must be addressed," he added.
The governor said he came to this year's legislative session with an ambitious agenda that set the "high water mark" for what could be accomplished. He complimented the Legislature for the work it did in exceeding expectations and pointed to new legislation that:
- Creates a new teacher-testing system and a teachers' professional standards board to help ensure qualified professionals work with children.
- Establishes a Patients' Bill of Rights, which gives patients and their doctors more control over health care.
- Creates new pipeline safety rules that will better protect the public from underground fuel pipeline accidents.
- Helps prevent vulnerable adults from becoming victims and cracks down on abusers.
- Speeds economic development by bringing advanced telecommunications systems to rural areas.
- Significantly cuts unemployment-insurance taxes for Washington employers while providing millions of dollars more to help laid-off workers train for the new economy.
"The 2000 legislative session was tough; it was hard, and yes, it was rancorous," Locke said. "But as we stand here today, we have much to show for it. The Legislature can go home proud of the work it has done. And for that, it's our citizens of our state who are the winners."
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