From the Office of Rep. Steve Bergquist

Last session the Legislature passed an unprecedented biennial 21-23 budget that allocated $59 billion to help us recover from the pandemic, together. It prioritized the needs of Black, Brown and Indigenous communities that have suffered disproportionate impacts during the pandemic and reflects the input of trusted community organizations who are at the center of this work. This session’s supplemental budget builds on those investments and supports people facing the most barriers to recovery.
 
Below are highlights of the investments made in the three-year 2022 Supplemental Operating Budget. Please indicate your level of support for each investment listed.

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* 1. K-12 EDUCATION - $2.3 BILLION
  • $761 million for more counselors, nurses, psychologists and social workers in schools
  • $331 million for keeping school budgets whole, increasing transportation funding
  • $65 million to continue offering free school lunches to eligible schools

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* 2. CHILDCARE & EARLY LEARNING - $725 MILLION
  • $386 million for paying child care providers better rates
  • $75 million to expand Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP) slots and summer ECEAP, opening up more than 2,000 slots as we work towards guaranteeing a slot for every kid that qualifies for the program

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* 3. HOMELESSNESS & HOUSING - $864 MILLION
  • $500 million for affordable housing projects
  • $319 million in utility assistance for those behind on payments
  • $55 million for rental assistance

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* 4. HEALTH CARE & PUBLIC HEALTH - $510 MILLION
  • $312 million for COVID-19 response and vaccines
  • $52 million for children's Medicaid dental, increasing access to dental services for kids once they turn six

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* 5. BEHAVIORAL HEALTH - $615 MILLION
  • $191 million for behavioral health providers and rate increases for providers
  • $62 million for opioid response programs and supports
  • $42 million for crisis, outreach and diversion programs

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* 6. SMALL BUSINESS & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
  • Sales tax holiday over Labor Day weekend to help cover back-to-school purchases
  • $200 million to support the restaurant industry, which has been hit hard by the pandemic
  • $45 million for a small business innovation and competitiveness fund

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* 7. COLLEGE & WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT - More than $722 MILLION
  • $300 million to create a state student loan program that would issue loans with an interest rate of just 1% to undergraduate and graduate students
  • $209 million to expand the Washington College Grant and provide bridge grants, which help students cover costs like housing and transportation
  • $82 million to increase the health care workforce and training, focused on addressing the nursing shortage

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* 8. Your responses are anonymous, so if you'd like a personal reply:
    1. Send me an email; or
    2. Leave your name and phone number (optional)

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