Inslee's 2019 budget

Here are highlights of Gover-nor Jay Inslee’s 2019 budget supported in the Weekly News Dec. 19 editorial. The two-year budget proposes $54.6 billion in general fund spending and almost $4 billion in new revenues – taxes.

This budget is about 20 percent higher than the current one.

These five program areas would get additional funds if the legislature enacts Inslee’s proposal:

Education, K-12, $4.6 billion; college, $103 million for college financial aid expansion.

$4.1 billion, McCleary

$214 million, local levy authority

$173 million, comprehensive early learning initiative

$103 million, higher education loan fund

Orca recovery, $1.1 billion to fund: 1. Increase salmon (“prey”) 2. Decrease disturbance from vessel traffic; 3.Decrease toxic contaminants; 4. Increase science and support

Climate change, $273.5 million for: 1. 100 percent clean energy; 2. Clean buildings; 3. Eliminating HFC super-pollutants; 4. Clean fuels; 5. Clean transportation

Wages, collective bargaining agreements, $675 million: 55,000 state employees; 49,000 publicly funded nonstate employees

Behavioral health system, $404 million; capital budget: $271 million

New revenues would come from creating a tax on capital gains, increasing a tax on targeted professional services and making the real estate excise tax progressive.

New capital gains tax, $975 million, in fiscal year 2021.

Business and occupation tax on targeted services, $2.6 billion

Real estate excise tax, made progressive, $400 million

Inslee’s $54.4 billion proposed state operating budget represents a roughly 20 percent increase from the existing budget. Proposed revenues and ongoing current revenues do not cover the additional costs, so $200 million would be drawn from the state’s $3 billion reserve fund.

The legislature convenes Jan. 14. They have 98 days, till April 22, to dispose of, or pass the state’s budget.