�������t¶��

It is imperative that lawmakers’ next budget, as well as those in future biennia, transparently and adequately address the true costs of providing a high-quality education for every child in Washington.

The House proposed covering 100% of those costs in the second year of the biennium.

A December outlook found that Medicaid is predicted to need $984 million more than what was thought in April, when the state’s biennium budget was finalized.

Key budget lawmakers were circumspect Tuesday about a bailout for Portland Public Schools and have noted that schools received a record $10.2 billion this biennium.

The forecast for the current 2023-25 biennium is also rosy, with corporate income taxes helping to boost the state’s general fund resources by $437 million.