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Compensation increases account for most of the net policy increases in Gov. Inslee’s operating budget proposal

Gov. Inslee’s operating budget proposal estimates that the maintenance level for 2025–27 (the cost of continuing current services, adjusted for inflation and enrollment) is $77.360 billion. That is $5.415 billion (7.5%) higher than enacted 2023–25 appropriations. On top of that, Gov. Inslee proposes adding a net of $2.086 billion in new policy, including $1.210 for […]

Gov. Inslee proposes a 10.4% increase in appropriations, funded in part by a wealth tax and B&O tax increases

Gov. Inslee’s 2025–27 operating budget proposal would appropriate $79.446 billion from funds subject to the outlook (NGFO). That is $7.501 billion (10.4%) higher than enacted appropriations for 2023–25. Of the spending increase, $2.097 billion would be new policy. The proposal would leave an unrestricted NGFO ending balance of $497 million in 2025–27 and $2.376 billion […]

Maintenance level changes appear to be driven by K–12, DCYF

As I wrote earlier this week, the House Office of Program Research (OPR) estimates that the maintenance level (the cost of continuing current services, adjusted for inflation and enrollment) for funds subject to the outlook (NGFO) will increase by $4.377 billion in 2025–27 and by $6.367 billion in 2027–29. A full accounting of the maintenance […]

UW requests more state support for the behavioral health teaching facility and for UW employee compensation

The University of Washington’s 2025–27 operating budget request is just 2.1% above 2023–25 general fund–state (GFS) appropriations. However, the request includes substantial maintenance and policy increases that are offset by a large carry-forward level reduction. (See the box at the bottom of this post for budget and fund terminology.) The carry-forward level is reduced by […]

WWU requests an increase to its per-pupil state funding

Western Washington University is requesting an increase to its general fund–state (GFS) budget of $77.7 million (38.1%) for 2025–27. Most of that increase ($71.8 million) would be new policy. (See the box at the bottom of this post for budget and fund terminology.) The total increase for WWU would significantly exceed the total requested changes […]

Office of Program Research estimates that the budget shortfall is $6.7 billion over four years

The Office of Program Research (OPR, nonpartisan staff for the House of Representatives) presented a budget preview to the Appropriations Committee yesterday. OPR’s preliminary estimate of the unrestricted ending balance for funds subject to the outlook (NGFO) is -$4.351 billion in 2025–27 and -$6.700 billion in 2027–29. The OPR figures incorporate the November caseload forecast. […]

Dept. of Health wants to maintain pandemic-era funding levels in 2025–27

The Department of Health (DOH) has requested $459.3 million from the general fund–state (GFS) for 2025–27, which would be an increase of 22.5% over 2023–25. DOH funding increased substantially in 2021–23 due to pandemic-related programs and enhanced funding for foundational public health. Appropriations decreased in 2023–25, but they are still 76.9% higher than 2019–21 spending […]

Gov. Inslee freezes hiring, contracts, purchasing, and travel

On Monday, Gov. Inslee directed agencies to freeze hiring, services contracts, goods and equipment purchases, and travel. This is in response to the budget deficit that is projected for 2025–27. Such a directive is the standard first response to a deficit—Gov. Inslee made a similar directive in May 2020 and Gov. Gregoire did the same […]

Dept. of Agriculture requests major funding increase for food assistance

General fund–state (GFS) appropriations for the Department of Agriculture were effectively flat from 2011–13 through 2019–21. Then, appropriations (adjusted for inflation) jumped 120.8% in 2021–23 and another 46.4% in 2023–25. Now, the department is requesting an increase of 56.7% for 2025–27. The total requested GFS increase of $89.3 million is comprised of a carry-forward level […]

Transportation revenues are expected to decline further, driven by significantly lower gasoline consumption estimates

The transportation revenue forecast has been revised down again. As I wrote last month, the September transportation revenue forecast was the first coordinated by the Economic and Revenue Forecast Council and it was the first meaningful update to the motor vehicle fuel tax forecast in over a year. The transportation revenue forecast includes revenues from […]