Budget negotiations to continue this week to find money for schools

Closed-door negotiations will take place between House and Senate leaders to reconcile the two chambers’ budget proposals, which vary greatly in their reliance on tax increases and in how they approach cuts to social services.

According to the Daily Olympian, closed-door negotiations will take place between House and Senate leaders to reconcile the two chambers’ budget proposals, which vary greatly in their reliance on tax increases and in how they approach cuts to social services.

The Senate’s budget proposes no new taxes, while the House would levy taxes on bottled water, extend the state’s beer tax and eliminate 15 tax breaks for businesses. That revenue would go toward K-12 education, which the state Supreme Court has ordered the Legislature to fully fund by 2018.

The Senate proposes deeper cuts to social services to free up more money for education.