Governor's supplemental budget looks like a yawner … that's a good thing
Gov. Jay Inslee released his supplemental budget proposal yesterday. The details are available here. Inslee calls it “a hold-steady budget in a get-ready year.” That’s a pretty good description. The budget proposes a few modest new program increases and provides funding for increases in caseloads and school enrollment. That’s holding steady. He also warns of […]
December 11 , 2013 - Kriss Sjoblom
November 11 – December 10 state revenue collections beat forecast by $4 million
Every little bit helps. 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 November 11 – December 10, 2013 collection period were $4.0 million (0.2%) higher than the November forecast. Revenue Act collections […]
December 05 , 2013 - Emily Makings
Medicaid is still driving exchange enrollments, but private plans are also up this week
This week’s Healthplanfinder enrollment update shows significant increases in enrollment in qualified (private) health plans, newly eligible Medicaid, and immediate coverage Medicaid. Total enrollment through the exchange is now up to 176,468 (through November 28). Of those, 18,131 are in qualified health plans (10.3 percent). (According to the Seattle Times, “Officials project that about 130,000 residents […]
November 20 , 2013 - Kriss Sjoblom
Small increase to state revenue forecast
The state Economic and Revenue Forecast Council meet today and updated its forecast of state revenues. On an apples-to-apples basis, ERFC increased the estimate of revenues for the completed 2011-13 biennium by $9.1 million and increased the forecast of revenues for the current 2013-15 biennium by $16.0 million. $10.5 million of the latter figure results […]
November 20 , 2013 - Kriss Sjoblom
The State Budget Outlook Work Group issued a new budget outlook today
The Economic and Revenue Forecast Council today approved an updated Outlook for the state budget prepared by the state budget outlook workgroup. The Outlook extends through the 2015-17 biennium and covers a roll-up of three state accounts: the general fund-state, the education legacy trust account and the opportunity pathways account. The new Outlook incorporates preliminary […]
November 19 , 2013 - Kriss Sjoblom
State revenue forecast will be updated tomorrow
The Economic and Revenue Forecast Council will update its forecast of state revenue tomorrow. The collections report for the October 11 to November 10 period that was issued last Tuesday (November 12) showed collections were $48.4 million (3.9%) greater than expected under the forecast adopted in September. Early property tax payments contributed $21.7 million of […]
November 07 , 2013 - Richard S. Davis
Special legislative session signals good news for machinists, for Boeing and for the state economy
Gov. Jay Inslee called lawmakers back to Olympia for a special session today designed to secure the Boeing 777X and its carbon fiber wing for Washington state. The proposed legislation complements the agreement reached by Boeing and the Machinists union for an eight-year contract extension assuring continued labor peace and changes benefiting the company and […]
November 01 , 2013 - Richard S. Davis
More on state Supreme Court pension case and its budget implications
In my column Wednesday, I take a deeper look at the pension lawsuit before the state Supreme Court. Emily wrote about the hearings, which involve union challenges to the Legislature’s repeal of gain-sharing and the Uniform Cost of Living Adjustment. The implications are serious. If the court rules for the public employee groups contesting the legislation, the increased burden to taxpayers […]
October 24 , 2013 - Emily Makings
State Supreme Court hears public pension arguments
This morning the state Supreme Court heard arguments on the public pension gain sharing and uniform COLA cases. The Department of Retirement Services summarized the issues yesterday: At issue in one case is a law from 2008 which repealed gain sharing provisions for members and retirees of certain state retirement plans and replaced them with […]
September 18 , 2013 - Richard S. Davis
Another good news state revenue forecast, with a warning
Today’s state revenue forecast beat expectations (at least my expecations). First the good news, from the press release: The September forecast for the 2013-15 biennium is $345 million higher than in June and the forecast for the 2015-17 biennium has been increased by $342 million. These forecast updates include $123 million in legislative and other […]