House chair says budget finds savings, funds 5.1% K-12 boost and continues income tax cuts
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Summary
House leadership told reporters the session’s budget reallocated agency savings to fund a 5.1% increase for public education, continued a modest income tax reduction for a sixth consecutive year, and funded child-related tax credits; committees reported cuts ranging from 1%–20%.
The House chair said the Legislature’s final-week budget exercise found savings across agencies and reallocated those dollars to priorities including a 5.1% increase for public education and family tax measures.
“We gave the charge to try and find 5% reductions, and, to where we could reallocate,” the chair said, praising agencies and sub-appropriation committees that submitted reallocation scenarios. A budget staff member told reporters that eight committees implemented cuts ranging from 1% to 20%, producing about a 2.4% across-the-board reduction available to reallocate.
The chair said the budget includes both a childcare tax credit and a child tax exemption authored by Representative Tracy Miller, and noted an additional "5 basis point" reduction in income tax included in the package. “Sixth year in a row, that we've cut taxes,” the chair said. The chair characterized the cumulative effect over six years as about an 11% income-tax savings for filers as presented.
The chair also said the Legislature trimmed its own budget during the process. Staff described the fiscal-note work that began this week to review requests for appropriations (RFAs) and prepare final funding lists for Friday’s package.
What the Legislature said it would do - Education: Chair reported a 5.1% funding increase for public education after reallocations and targeted cuts were made in the education budget. - Taxes: The budget package includes another incremental reduction in income tax rates and funds childcare-related tax measures described by the chair.
What reporters asked and what was not specified Reporters pressed about the specifics of program-by-program reallocations and exact dollar amounts for each change; staff said the fiscal-note process had just begun and that detailed allocations would be finalized in later budget documents. Where count or dollar totals were not given in the briefing, the article states “not specified.”
The chair said the package reflects a combination of committee priorities and executive appropriations guidance; staff said they sought to preserve committee-identified priorities when reallocating savings. The fiscal-note review is underway and funding tallies were described as work in progress.