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WA Supreme Court finds that Legislature hasn't done enough on K-3 class size or compensation, imposes sanctions

The state Supreme Court has unanimously imposed sanctions on the Legislature for failing to comply with the Court’s order to submit a plan showing how the Legislature would fully fund basic education. (For background on the filings in the McCleary case since the end of the session, see here.) The Legislature will have to pay […]

InFocus: Colorado tax limit court case, health exchange funding, Puget Sound manufacturing jobs

Washington wasn't the only state to have a hard time passing a budget

TaxVox (the Tax Policy Center’s blog) has a post today about the problems some states have had in meeting budget deadlines this year. It suggests that politics — not economics — is the source of the issue. During the Great Recession and its aftermath, the economy wreaked havoc on state budget negotiations, forcing tough votes […]

Operating budget increases funding for Washington Exchange by $77 million

As enacted by the Legislature, the 2015-17 operating budget increases total budgeted funds for the Washington Health Benefit Exchange (HBE) to $110.0 million for the biennium. This is an increase of $77.0 million over 2013-15, and an increase of $30.0 million over the maintenance level (the cost of continuing current services). The Seattle Times reports, […]

Policy Today: McCleary filings, Governor's carbon cap

McCleary filings and the stubborn problem of I-1351

Last year the state Supreme Court found the Legislature in contempt for failure to provide a complete plan showing how it would comply with McCleary and implement its program of basic education. The Court held off on imposing sanctions until after the 2015 sessions. Yesterday the Legislature submitted its 2015 report to the Court on […]

90 Seconds: Progress report on McCleary

InFocus: Employment numbers, I-1366, Legislature's McCleary report (July 21, 2015)

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/215936923” params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /] Today we’re talking about the June state employment report, Initiative 1366 (requiring the legislature to submit for voter approval a constitutional amendment requiring 2/3 legislative approval of tax increases), and lawmakers’ progress report to the state Supreme Court on the McCleary K-12 funding case. In this episode: June employment […]

New report: Improving Economy Allows for Significant Spending on Education Without New Taxes

Here is our report on the 2015-17 operating budget: Improving Economy Allows for Significant Spending on Education Without New Taxes. Briefly: The 2015–17 operating budget appropriates $38.219 billion. Spending is increased by $4.425 billion, or 13.1 percent, over 2013–15. An improving economy means that the state has about $3 billion more revenues than in 2013–15. […]

90 Seconds with the WRC: It's a Wrap!