As I wrote yesterday, the House Appropriations Committee chair’s operating budget proposal would increase near general fund–state plus opportunity pathways (NGFS+) spending by $377.4 million. That includes maintenance level reductions of $151.2 million and policy level increases of $528.6 million.

The chart below compares the NGFS+ policy changes to those of the Senate chair ($1.235 billion) and governor ($879.0 million). (The maintenance level changes in the Senate chair’s proposal are $131.2 million; the maintenance level differences between the House and Senate occur mainly in public schools.)

The House chair’s summary documents detail his proposed spending in terms of the NGFS+, plus the basic education account. The basic education account is created under the proposal to hold the McCleary fines; its $105.2 million is then appropriated for public schools in this proposal. The $105.2 million is all at the policy level, and it would fund:

• Middle school guidance counselors ($15.3 million),
• Family involvement coordinators ($38.7 million),
• An increase to the special education excess costs multiplier ($36.7 million), and
• Increases in experience and regionalization factors related to compensation ($14.5 million).

In the chart, I’ve added the $105.2 million separately from the NGFS+. Together, the policy changes for schools would be $140.3 million. Total policy changes would be $633.8 million.

The biggest differences in the chart are in public schools. Both the Senate chair and the governor would fully fund the increase in school salaries in SY 2018–19, but the governor would save funds by changing the school apportionment schedule. The House would not fully fund the salary increases.

Another big difference is in other appropriations. For example, the governor and the Senate chair would appropriate $67.2 million and $63.2 million, respectively, for the disaster response account, but the House chair would not. Additionally, the governor would provide $50.0 million for the local public safety account, and the Senate chair’s dedicated McCleary penalty account is accounted for here ($103.8 million).

The House Appropriations and Senate Ways and Means Committee both held public hearings on their respective proposals yesterday. According to the AP, legislators are expected to vote on them Friday.