Senate Chair’s budget proposal would increase state spending by $4.8 billion
The Senate Ways & Means Committee’s chair has released his 2017–19 operating budget proposal. (There will be a public hearing on the proposal this afternoon.) Under the proposal, near general fund–state plus opportunity pathways (NGFS+) spending would increase by $4.814 billion over the 2015–17 biennium. NGFS+ spending would total $43.268 billion for the biennium. Of […]
March 16 , 2017 - Kriss Sjoblom
Revenue forecast gives budget writers an additional $571 million for the 2017-19 budget
The state Economic and Revenue Forecast Council (ERFC) held its quarterly meeting today. The forecast of general fund–state (GF–S) revenue for the current biennium (2015–17) increased by $247.4 million to $38,227.1 million. The forecast of general fund-state revenue for the upcoming biennium (2017–19) increased by $303.0 million to $40,816.7 million, and the forecast of general […]
March 13 , 2017 - Mary Strow
State school funding system ruled unconstitutional…in Kansas
Washington isn’t the only state grappling with K-12 education funding issues. On March 2, the Kansas state Supreme Court ruled that the State of Kansas was violating the state constitution by not adequately funding public schools. Sound familiar? The Kansas City Star reports: The court determined that the state is failing to provide roughly one-fourth of its […]
March 09 , 2017 - Emily Makings
Bill to avert levy cliff includes levy accountability provisions
Currently school districts are allowed to levy maintenance and operation (M&O) levies of up to 28 percent of their state and federal revenues. That maximum is scheduled to revert to 24 percent in 2018. This is the levy cliff. The House passed a levy bill (SHB 1059) earlier this year to keep the maximum at […]
March 07 , 2017 - Mary Strow
March 06 , 2017 - Emily Makings
The House’s education funding plan would cost much more than the Senate’s
The state released its fiscal note of SSB 5607 (the Senate-passed education funding bill) on Friday. It shows a substantial gap between the resources needed to fund the Senate and House plans. According to the fiscal note, SSB 5607 would increase state spending by $2.424 billion in 2017–19, $4.081 billion in 2019–21, and $1.860 billion […]
March 02 , 2017 - Mary Strow
March 01 , 2017 - Emily Makings
New brief: Comparing the Education Funding Proposals
There are now four major education funding plans circulating: Gov. Inslee's proposal, the House-passed ESHB 1843, the Senate-passed SSB 5607, and SB 5825 (a proposal from Sen. Mullet). In a new policy brief, we provide a side-by-side comparison of the four plans. Briefly: Four major education funding plans have been proposed to address the McCleary decision. Gov. […]
February 27 , 2017 - Emily Makings
Another education funding plan in the mix
There are now several options on the table as to how to comply with the state Supreme Court’s McCleary decision. Gov. Inslee’s proposal and the House-passed ESHB 1843 would increase education spending but stay within the current funding structure (see this policy brief for more). The Senate-passed SSB 5607 would also increase spending but would […]
February 24 , 2017 - Emily Makings
New Brief: Senate-Passed Bill Would Overhaul and Increase School Funding
Last week we published a policy brief on Gov. Inslee's education funding proposal and HB 1843 (which has since been passed by the House). Today we have a new brief on SSB 5607, the Senate-passed education funding bill. Briefly: The Senate has passed SSB 5607 in response to the McCleary decision. The bill would fund […]