Today’s media availability with Senate and House Democratic leaders focused on the upcoming budget process. House Majority Leader Pat Sullivan said that the House is planning to release its 2019-21 operating budget proposal on Monday, and he expects it will be passed by the House by the end of next week. Senator Marko Liias said the Senate budget will be released next week as well (he didn’t specify the day).

Both the House and Senate proposals will include revenue packages. When asked how much revenue will be needed, Rep. Sullivan said that Gov. Inslee’s proposal would have increased spending by about $9 billion: “That’s the high-water mark. We’re not going to reach that, but it will be somewhere between there and zero.”

Rep. Sullivan also talked about how all of the increase in revenues from 2017-19 to 2019-21 will be needed for K-12. Those revenues do not represent all the resources that are available, as I wrote a few weeks ago. Plus, collections are coming in higher than previously forecast. We’ll know how much the Legislature has to work with tomorrow, when the Economic and Revenue Forecast Council releases the revenue forecast.

For more Washington’s spending and revenues, see these reports:

• Washington Revenue Review: Revenues Are Still Growing Strong, But for How Long?
• Washington Spending Review: Spending Up 44 Percent Since Pre-Recession Peak
• Washington’s Budget Sustainability Requirements Work When Followed