Gregoire unveils $30 billion budget, focuses on education

OLYMPIA — Gov. Chris Gregoire today unveiled a nearly $30 billion state budget proposal, saying it reflects her top three priorities: education, education, education.

The $29.94 billion two-year spending plan dips liberally into the state's $1.9 billion budget reserve to spend on public schools and colleges, health care, Puget Sound cleanup, economic development, prisons, parks, pensions, salary increases and other programs. Free full-day kindergarten is proposed for 10 percent of the schools and early learning proposals would be expanded, at a cost of $42 million. A dropout academy is created.

Gregoire also sets aside a sizable savings account and asks lawmakers to pass a constitutional amendment creating a hard-to-tap ``rainy day'' fund. Her total budget reserve is more than $600 million.

No general tax increases are contemplated. The governor's plan includes some relief for small businesses and a tuition freeze for the state's 165,000 community college students.

The governor's budget, which now goes to the Democratic-controlled Legislature, proposes substantial increases for all facets of the education system, from early learning through K-12 and higher education. Gregoire, a Democrat, said the plan will ``fundamentally change educational expectations, delivery and results.''

Many of the education spending proposals arose from Washington Learns, a reform task force created by the governor and Legislature. Gregoire personally headed the group's steering committee. She had previously announced her $173 million higher education package and a $200 million plan for improving math and science education.

Including teacher salary increases of $382 million and class-size reduction grants of $139 million, her budget for early learning and K-12 hits nearly $1.3 billion.

More than $1.9 billion is proposed for public schools and college construction in a separate construction budget.

Gregoire's budget would provide health insurance for an additional 32,000 children, bringing the total to 624,000 children covered. Vaccination programs are expanded.

She also provides additional money for the foster care system, services for people with developmental disabilities, and wage boosts for home-care workers.

The prison system would be expanded by 476 cells, and a program to reduce repeat crime would get $25 million.

The governor would boost the tourism budget to $10 million, expand help for small businesses, increase promotion of Washington products, expand business-related infrastructure, and broaden local and regional work force training.

She said her budget also reflects a series of town hall meetings she had around the state last summer.

``It is time to invest in our future,'' the governor said in prepared remarks. ``I have listened carefully to people in every part of our state and I hear again and again that people want good schools, family wage jobs and access to affordable, quality health care. This budget makes changes families can count on and reflects the values of our state.''

Gregoire said the new spending builds on recent progress in education, transportation, creation of over 150,000 jobs, greater access to health care, creation of a life sciences fund, emphasis on biofuels, and a new Department of Early Learning.