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House chair’s supplemental operating budget would increase appropriations by 3.1%

The House Appropriation Committee chair’s proposed supplemental operating budget would increase 2023–25 appropriations from funds subject to the outlook (NGFO) by $2.196 billion (3.1%). That’s $342.0 million more than the Senate chair’s proposal and $233.4 million more than Gov. Inslee’s proposal. Revised 2023–25 NGFO appropriations under the House chair’s proposal would be $72.000 billion. (I […]

Senate chair’s operating budget proposal would increase appropriations by 2.7%

The 2024 supplemental operating budget proposal from the Senate Ways & Means Committee Chair would increase 2023–25 appropriations from funds subject to the outlook (NGFO) by $1.854 billion (2.7%). Revised NGFO appropriations for 2023–25 would be $71.658 billion. (That’s $108.6 million less than had been proposed by Gov. Inslee.) The proposal would not increase revenues. […]

The state’s gross fuel tax revenue forecast appears to be on autopilot

The Feb. 2024 transportation revenue forecast estimates that transportation revenues (including, e.g., revenues from motor vehicle fuel taxes; licenses, permits, and fees; ferries; and tolls) will be $6.990 billion in 2023–25. That’s an increase of 0.01% compared to the Nov. 2023 forecast and a decrease of 0.79% compared to the March 2023 forecast (on which […]

Legislative budget writers have more revenues to work with than the governor; it’s unclear how today’s caseload forecast will affect spending

As Kriss noted on Wednesday, the Feb. 2024 forecast of revenues from funds subject to the outlook (NGFO) was increased by $337 million over the outlook period (this biennium and next). That figure is compared to the Nov. 2023 revenue forecast, on which the governor based his 2024 supplemental operating budget proposal. Compared to the […]

Senate supplemental capital budget proposal would increase 2023–25 appropriations by 14.7% and would take a measured approach to the use of uncertain funds

This morning, the Senate supplemental capital budget proposal was released by Ways & Means Capital Budget Vice Chair Mullet and Ranking Member Schoesler. (It is scheduled to be heard by Ways & Means this afternoon.) It would increase capital budget appropriations by $1.277 billion (14.7%). Revised 2023–25 capital budget appropriations would be $9.938 billion, which […]

A reduction to the capital gains revenue forecast, and some budget context

During yesterday’s Economic and Revenue Forecast Council (ERFC) meeting, ERFC Executive Director Dave Reich said that the capital gains revenue forecast was adjusted down because of a double count in fiscal year 2024 and a coding error by the Department of Revenue. As a result, compared to the November 2023 forecast, revenues from the capital […]

A modest increase to the forecast of state revenues

At its quarterly meeting this morning, the state Economic and Revenue Forecast Council (ERFC) updated its forecasts of state revenues. These new forecasts increase the amount available to budget writers over the current and next bienniums combined by a total of $337 million. Budget reports from legislative fiscal committees typically roll up four accounts: the […]

Education funding bills on the move: special education, paraeducators, operating costs, and capital spending

Gov. Inslee’s operating budget proposal includes three major education funding proposals: Additionally, his capital budget proposal would increase the construction cost allocation that is part of the SCAP funding formula from $272 per square foot to $350. The Legislature is moving several education funding bills but is not exactly following the governor’s lead. For example, […]

Does Washington need a dedicated revenue stream for digital equity programs?

The title of HB 2327 says it is “an act relating to providing a revenue stream to fund digital equity programs.” Indeed, it would provide quite a revenue stream. HB 2327 would impose a new wireless device tax on each sale of a smart wireless device (i.e., anything capable of wireless access to the internet), […]

Gov. Inslee’s operating budget proposal would leave total reserves of $2.186 billion at the end of the outlook period

Today the Economic and Revenue Forecast Council (ERFC) adopted the official outlook for funds subject to the outlook (NGFO) based on Gov. Inslee’s supplemental operating budget proposal. The ERFC estimates that, at the end of the outlook period, the governor’s budget would leave an unrestricted NGFO ending balance of $76 million and total reserves of […]