This morning the Washington House and Senate announced a conference operating budget for the 2011-13 biennium. By this afternoon the House had voted 54-42 to move the budget to the Senate.  The Senate is expected to take up the budget tomorrow.

2011-2103 Operating Budget
The conference biennial budget addresses a $4.9  billion shortfall, making approximately $4.5 billion in policy level reductions. The budget reduces funding for higher education institutions by $535 million.  The Evergreen State College is reduced by $12.152 million and authorized to increase tuition by 14% per year for the biennium.

In addition the budget maintains the state need grant to offset budgeted tuition increases to students and reduces, but does not eliminate , state work study.

In addition to the reductions to higher education the proposed budget makes the following reductions.

• $1.2 billion – Elimination of Initiative 728 and Initiative 732
• $344 million -Change in how certain future pension benefits are calculated for Plan 1 retirees
• $215 million – Elimination of K-4 class enhancement
• $179 million – K-12 employee salary reduction
• $177 million – 3% salary reduction in state employee salaries
• $150 million – Hospital rates and related changes
• $129 million – Reduction to Basic Health Plan
• $116 million – Reform to the Disability Lifeline cash program
• $97 million – Reduction of personal care hours for long term care and developmentally disabled clients
• $61 million – Change to K-12 National Board Bonus program
• $57 million – Student assessment system changes