Washington State Budget

Listen: Capitol Correspondent Austin Jenkins wraps up the legislative session / Runtime: 4 minutesREAD:That’s a wrap. Washington’s sprint-like, 60-day…

The Washington Legislature approved a one-point-five billion dollar capital budget this week. It will help fund several affordable housing, medical…

Listen: Olympia Correspondent Austin Jenkins reports on the budget deal. (Runtime: 59 seconds)Majority Democrats in the Washington House and Senate on…

As majority Democrats in the Washington Legislature lay the groundwork for tax increases to fund the next two-year budget, minority Republicans are jumping out ahead by releasing their own tax-averse budget blueprints.

The plan includes $26 million toward the establishment of a proposed new office to conduct investigations of police use of excessive force and $2.5 million for the state Equity Office that was created by the Legislature earlier this year. The equity office — created after voters last year reaffirmed a ban on affirmative action — will help state agencies develop and implement diversity plans across state government.

Washington state leaders say the earliest they would hold a emergency session at this point would most likely be after the November election, if they convene at all. It’s quite possible legislators won’t meet again until January, when their regular 105-day session is scheduled to begin.

Washington House Democrats on Monday unveiled a proposed $1.4 billion tax package, including a new capital gains tax, to fund a two-year budget with ongoing commitments to public schools, boosted spending for people with mental illness and increased reimbursement rates for a wide-range of social service providers.

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee is proposing a hefty $10 billion increase in state spending over the next two years to maintain current services and fund new priorities, including mental health and orca recovery. To pay for it, Inslee is once again pushing for a new state capital gains tax on high income earners as well as an increase in the business and occupation tax on professional services.

If you have a reservation at a Washington state park this weekend or you rely on state services, you can breathe a sigh of relief. Washington lawmakers…