Gov. Gregoire�s statement on budget agreement, end of special session

For Immediate Release: April 11, 2012

OLYMPIA � Gov. Chris Gregoire this morning issued the following statement on the budget agreement reached by the Legislature, as well as the end of the special session:

�I�m pleased the Legislature reached an agreement this morning to solve our budget shortfall. The supplemental budget passed preserves critical programs, including education, and sets our state on a more sustainable path.

�Reaching this point wasn�t easy. And it couldn�t have been. Given that we�ve already cut $10.5 billion from our state budget over the past three years, making any more reductions while preserving what�s left of our safety net was a daunting task. Acknowledging the difficult challenge our lawmakers faced, I commend them for coming together to balance our budget and agree to important government reforms. Additionally, lawmakers approved a significant capital budget that will improve our infrastructure while supporting 18,000 jobs.

�The past two days of significant work and compromise with lawmakers from both chambers, on both sides of the aisle show what is possible when we work together.

�And the challenges posed during the last 30 days shouldn�t overshadow the incredible accomplishments achieved during the regular session. Washington state became the 7th in the nation to pass a marriage equality bill, we made great strides in education reform, and we took action to improve our state�s competiveness in the global aerospace industry.

�Our job isn�t done. Implementing this supplemental budget won�t be easy, but I�m confident we�ve developed a solution that protects our state�s financial future while preserving critical programs that Washingtonians rely on.�