The Gov's "Book II" budget

Yesterday, Governor Gregoire delivered a new budget proposal to legislators, a proposal that buys back some of the cuts she outlined in her all-cuts "Book I" budget last month.

Gregoire's "Book I" budget outlined $2.6 billion worth of cuts including the elimination of Basic Health, the State Need Grant to help low-income students go to college, early learning for three-year-olds, and more.

She called her "Book I" budget balanced, but unjust.

So now, we have "Book II." As outlined in her letter to legislators, Gregoire's new proposal restores funding for the following:

• Basic Health and Apple Health plans
  
• General assistance program for the most needy
• Levy equalization funds for our public schools
• State financial aid
  
• Early childhood education and kindergarten
• Adult medical, dental, vision and hospice programs
• Developmental disability and long-term care services

The big question, of course, is how we'll pay for these buy-backs. And that, as we all know, will be the big story of the session. Stay tuned!