More Details on the 2011 Supplemental
More detailed numbers are now available on the 2011 supplemental agreement between the House and Senate. The conference report would reduce NGFS expenditures by $242.2 million and make fund transfers in the amount of $125.2 million, to reduce the 2009-11 shortfall by a total of $367.4 million. (The House bill would close the shortfall by […]
February 16 , 2011 - Emily Makings
First Look at the 2011 Supplemental Deal
As Dick noted, the House and Senate have come to an agreement on the next round of spending cuts to make, in the ongoing effort to close the 2009-11 budget shortfall. Senate Ways and Means has an intial comparison of the agreement to the bills that passed the House and Senate, and to the governor’s […]
February 14 , 2011 - Richard S. Davis
Tax exemptions as economic stimulus…
Strange headline over this story in Stateline.org: Despite red ink, some governors push big tax cuts for businesses. A less skeptical editor might have written, “because of red ink, some governors use tax policy to stimulate investment and job creation.” Because, well, that’s what the story is about. Governors from New York to Florida, Idaho […]
February 14 , 2011 - Richard S. Davis
Pension reforms moving forward in Olympia
Bert Caldwell does a nice job in the Spokesman-Review of catching up on the move to assure full funding of state pensions. Washington state Treasurer James McIntire last week followed through on a pledge made last fall: He and a bipartisan group of sponsors submitted a proposed constitutional amendment to the Legislature that would assure […]
February 11 , 2011 - Kriss Sjoblom
February Economic and Revenue Update
The Economic and Revenue Forecast Council's February Economic and Revenue Update was released today. The key number is $44.8 million. This is the cumulative shortfall in collections over the three months since the November update to the general fund revenue forecast. Today's report increases the likelihood that the next revision to the revenue forecast, which […]
February 10 , 2011 - Kriss Sjoblom
Tuition Transfer
This follow-up to Emily’s earlier post on the Senate’s early action supplemental budget proposal (Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1086) provides a bit more detail with respect to higher education. The Senate-passed early action budget (the Senate Ways and Means Committee staff summary of the chair’s proposal is available here, the bill [big file] is available […]
February 02 , 2011 - Emily Makings
Senate W&M 2011 Supplemental Plan
Today the Senate Ways and Means (W&M) Committee released its plan to chip away some more at the remaining 2009-11 budget shortfall. Like the supplemental passed by the House, this proposal would not close the entire shortfall. Also like the House-passed version, Senate W&M would make transfers from numerous accounts into the general fund. In […]
February 01 , 2011 - Richard S. Davis
Thrive Washington suggests positive ideas to put state on sustainable budget path
Thrive Washington, a research and communications partnership between the Research Council and Washington Roundtable, has looked at budget reforms, contracting out, and health care policy. This series of white papers provides a good platform for responsible state budgeting in hard times. And, these proposals will accelerate the transition to better times. Sunday, the Herald of […]
January 27 , 2011 - Emily Makings
House-passed 2011 Supplemental
On Monday, the House passed a 2011 supplemental bill that reduces the NGFS shortfall by $346 million. (The vote on final passage was 55-43.) Our brief on the bill is available here. Unfortunately, although it does make significant spending cuts, the bill does not fully address the shortfall–some $160 million remains. In the brief, we […]
January 22 , 2011 - Emily Makings
House GOP 2011 Supplemental Amendment
Yesterday Rep. Alexander released an amendment to strike SHB 1086, the 2011 Supplemental bill that was approved by the House Ways and Means (W&M) committee earlier this week. (The amendment and a summary of its effects can be accessed here.) Like the W&M bill, the amendment includes a combination of spending reductions and fund transfers. […]