OLYMPIA -- Participants in a major budget session in the governor's conference room emerged with hopeful comments about the prospects for reaching agreement on the state's 2015-17 operating budget.

The meeting was described as "kick-starting the process" by Office of Financial Management Director David Schumacher. "Day 1, here we go."

But, he added, "It would have been nice if this were Day 1 a few months ago."

House Democrats will unveil their latest proposal at 1 p.m., a counter to Senate Republicans' proposal released last week and passed through the Senate Ways and Means Committee in expedited fashion without a hearing. House Democrats will make a point of holding a public hearing on their budget on Tuesday in the Appropriations Committee, and expect a committee vote on Wednesday.

Schumacher described the House proposal as a move to the middle, but work will continue on the differences between the two plans. "There's hundreds of decisions that are going to have to be made."

Hanging over state government's head is the start of the new fiscal year on July 1. Without an operating budget, some state agencies will have to shut down or reduce services because they will not have the legal authority to spend money.

Legislators arrived at the meeting to the strains of "The Star-Spangled Banner" being sung acapella in the Rotunda by the Cedarcrest High School Choir from Duvall. During their session the choir broke into a rendition of "Go the Distance." The performance wasn't planned for the meeting. Musical groups frequently perform in the Rotunda because of its acoustics. 

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