Gov. Chris Gregoire this week released her 2007-2009 budget proposal, one which contains substantial help for education. The nearly $30 billion budget proposes to:
• Invest in education, from early learning through K-12 to higher education and job training.
Proposals include $42 million to expand early childhood learning and provide free all-day kindergarten for 10 percent of schools. Also proposed is an academy for students who drop out.
More than $1.9 billion is proposed for public school and college construction.
• Provide health insurance for an additional 32,000 children who are currently not covered.
• Invest in tourism, small business support, research, promotion of Washington products, infrastructure improvements and local and regional work force training across the state, with the aim of creating jobs.
• Keep family farms and forests profitable and productive.
• Protect and restore Puget Sound.
• Safeguard savings in a Rainy Day Fund.
Gregoire’s proposed budget now goes to the Legislature for consideration.
No general tax increases are proposed for the budget.
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