Governor Calls Special Session; Bellevue School District Expects Cuts To Budget

Bellevue School District officials and local elected leaders will have to wait a little longer before they know how the state's budget hole will affect them. Legislators were supposed to wrap up their regular session by today, but they're still struggling with how to plug a more than $5 billion budget deficit. Gov. Chris Gregoire announced Friday that she is calling a special session, set to start Tuesday. It could go up to 30 days.

“This Legislature has come together in the toughest of times and done significant work in this session on behalf of Washington,” Gregoire said. “But there is more work to be done. Starting Tuesday the Legislature will continue to work together to chart a new course and to transform Washington’s government. And I pledge to help them finish the job.”

Though work continues in the Legislature, the Bellevue School District released estimates of the expected reductions by the current proposals by the Governor, the Senate and the House. Reductions range from a $2.3 million reduction by the House budget proposal to a $6.3 million reduction in the Senate budget proposal. The Governor's budget proposal would result in a reduction of $4.8 million, according to the Bellevue School District. All three proposals eliminate the funding that reduces class sizes in kindergarten through fourth grades.