Inslee to Reveal “Equity Package” Portion of 2021 Budget Monday
Monday, Dec. 14 at 3PM Gov. Inslee is having a press conference to lay out his "equity package" portion of the 2021 onward state budget.
According to his release:
"Gov. Jay Inslee will address the media today via streaming video and telephone to announce his equity package as part of his 2021-2023 budget proposal.
The governor will be joined by:
- Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler
- Representative Melanie Morgan
- Representative Mia Gregerson"
No specific details about what this will entail were released, but it's likely it will be a restart of his Office of Equity (OOE) which was passed by the Democratic controlled legislature during the 2020 session. It was quickly overshadowed by COVID, and the funding was part of a series of budget vetoes Inslee made to trim about $450-500 million from the state budget due to the shutdowns affecting tax revenue.
WA voters rejected Referendum 88 in November 2019, which would have restored affirmative action programs in contracting, education and employment. However, during the 2020 session, Inslee created the OOE anyway, to push through more affirmative action programs.
It's likely his "equity package" will include a restoration of this office. What else he has in store is not yet known. Inslee has, on numerous occasions, approached COVID relief and response through an 'equity lens,' but we do not know if further COVID related programs will be a part of this plan.