Rep. Luanne Van Werven votes to support bipartisan operating budget
State lawmakers voted Monday to approve a two-year state operating budget and sent it to the governor for his signature. The budget document comes just in time to begin funding the new fiscal cycle of state government, which begins July 1.
The vote in the House of Representatives was 90-8.
Rep. Luanne Van Werven, R-Lynden and member of the House Appropriations Committee, voted in favor of the plan and issued the following statement:
“This budget addresses many important issues for the citizens of Whatcom County and the state of Washington. It is a great budget for education, spending about an additional $1.3 billion to help comply with the McCleary decision and reducing class size in our lower grades. It also takes care of our mentally ill and most vulnerable citizens.
“As a member of the House Higher Education Committee, one of the true highlights of this budget is the historic, college tuition reduction. Tuition has not been reduced in our state in about forty years. This positively impacts our students and middle class families.
“I am not happy with everything in the budget. However, it is sustainable, lives within our means and is a solid investment in our students and teachers. One of the most rewarding aspects of this budget is that it does not rely on new or increased taxes. It is a win for the taxpayers of Whatcom County and Washington state. For these reasons, I voted for the operating budget.”
