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January 11 – February 10 state revenue collections were $6.5 million above forecast

The Economic and Revenue Forecast Council issued its monthly Economic and Revenue Update today. Here are the key bullets on revenue from the summary: Major General Fund-State revenue collections for the January 11 – February 10, 2014 collection period were $6.5 million (0.5%) higher than the November forecast. Cumulatively, collections are now $1.7 million (0.0%) […]

Washington exchange's ongoing budget and new enrollment numbers

A story in the Seattle Times over the weekend looked at the budget of the Washington health benefit exchange (the Healthplanfinder): Washington and the 13 other states running their own health-insurance marketplaces all had federal grants to pay for startup costs. Now the Washington Health Benefit Exchange will have to transition from federal grants totaling […]

Governor's tax proposals face skeptical Legislature

Gov. Inslee’s proposed tax increases to boost school spending look like they’ll go where they’ve gone before — nowhere. AWB president Kris Johnson had this statement. Unfortunately, the governor’s plan to eliminate a handful of tax incentives does not address the long-term funding challenge we face, and would have serious negative impacts on the employers […]

Inslee promotes boost in school funding

In his state of the state message, Gov. Inslee proposed $200 million in new revenue for education. Today, the governor released his plan. The presentation materials detail the new taxes. » Repeal sales tax exemption for trade-ins valued over $10,000 » Repeal public utility tax deduction for in-state portion of interstate transportation » Repeal use […]

Gov's State of the State: Increase minimum wage, boost education spending, fund transportation package

In his State of the State address yesterday, Gov. Inslee introduced themes likely to resonate through the November elections.  Whether they will gain bipartisan  approval in the divided Legislature is less probable. The headlines: a minimum wage increase, $200 million in new education funding (including the oft-suspended teacher COLA) paid for with unspecified tax increases, […]

New Brief: Minimal Changes to 2013-15 Budget in Gov. Inslee's Proposed Supplemental

Last month, Gov. Inslee proposed a supplemental to the 2013-15 operating budget that would make minimal funding changes. The state of affairs has changed somewhat since the governor made his proposal. Given the state Supreme Court’s order regarding McCleary (which Dick wrote about here and here), in today’s state of the state address, Gov. Inslee said […]

Justice Johnson files dissent in Supremes' education funding order – Court's impact on short session unclear

Last week I posted on the state Supreme Court majority opinion finding lawmakers failed to make adequate progress toward full funding of basic education as specified in the Court’s McCleary decision. I concluded: Substantial new funding in the short session is unlikely. Key legislators already question the need for any supplemental budget. After last year’s lengthy […]

December 11 – January 10 state revenue collections were $8.8 million below forecast

The Economic and Revenue Forecast Council issued its monthly Economic and Revenue Update today. Here are the key bullets on revenue from the summary: Major General Fund-State revenue collections for the December 11, 2013 – January 10, 2014 collection period were $8.8 million (0.7%) lower than the November forecast. Cumulatively, collections are now $4.8 million […]

School finance is not an issue only in Washington

An article from Kansas in today’s Stateline has a familiar ring to it: With no decision yet from the Kansas Supreme Court on a mammoth school-finance lawsuit, state legislators will begin their annual session amid deep uncertainty over the dominant issue of the year. Depending on what the court decides, the outcome could be anything […]

State Supreme Court says that, despite progress, Legislature still not meeting education funding targets

The state Supreme Court, in an order released today, faulted lawmakers for failing to make adequate progress on meeting the Court’s school funding mandate. (Justice Johnson is filing a dissent from the majority opinion.) The accompanying press release acknowledge legislative progress. The majority Order, signed by eight of the nine justices, acknowledges that “meaningful steps were […]