House chair’s 2023 supplemental operating budget would reduce 2021–23 appropriations by $804 million (and what’s happening with K–3 class size compliance?)
The House Appropriations Committee chair’s 2023 supplemental operating budget proposal would reduce 2021–23 appropriations from funds subject to the outlook (NGFO) by a net of $804.0 million. Maintenance level (the cost of continuing current services, adjusted for enrollment and inflation) changes would increase appropriations by $423.9 million and new policies would reduce appropriations by $1.228 […]
March 29 , 2023 - Emily Makings
The mystery of the higher education funding swap
The Senate operating budget proposal includes a mostly hidden swap of higher education funding for the Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC) that would result in more spending from the workforce education investment account (WEIA). First, some background on the WEIA: The account may be used for higher education purposes, and it “must be used to […]
March 29 , 2023 - Emily Makings
W&M operating budget amendments would transfer more from reserves to fund additional spending
On Monday, the Senate Ways & Means (W&M) Committee amended and passed its chair’s operating budget proposal. Adopted amendments would increase appropriations from funds subject to the outlook (NGFO) by $191.1 million in 2023–25. Total NGFO appropriations for 2023–25 would be $69.375 billion. Of the changes, the maintenance level (the cost of continuing current services, […]
March 28 , 2023 - Emily Makings
House chair’s operating budget would increase appropriations for new policies by $5.004 billion
New policies in the House Appropriations Committee chair’s 2023–25 operating budget proposal would increase appropriations from funds subject to the outlook (NGFO) by $5.004 billion. (Maintenance level changes would increase appropriations by another $914.6 million.) The chart below compares the policy changes to those in the proposals from the governor and the Senate Ways & […]
March 27 , 2023 - Emily Makings
House chair’s operating budget balances over four years because it assumes higher-than-normal reversions
The House Appropriations Committee chair’s 2023–25 operating budget proposal would appropriate $70.044 billion from funds subject to the outlook (NGFO). That’s $859.9 million more than has been proposed by the Senate Ways & Means Committee chair, and it would be an increase of 9.2% over enacted 2021–23 appropriations. (The House chair’s proposal would appropriate $359.0 […]
March 27 , 2023 - Emily Makings
Senate chair’s 2023 supplemental would reduce 2021–23 appropriations by $711.5 million
As in Gov. Inslee’s operating budget proposal, the Senate Ways & Means Committee chair’s 2023–25 proposal balances in part thanks to reductions in appropriations for 2021–23. The Senate chair’s 2023 supplemental proposal would reduce 2021–23 appropriations from funds subject to the outlook (NGFO) by $711.5 million. Maintenance level (the cost of continuing current services, adjusted […]
March 24 , 2023 - Emily Makings
Like the governor’s operating budget proposal, the Senate chair’s is heavy on provider rates and compensation
The Senate Ways & Means Committee chair’s operating budget proposal would increase appropriations from funds subject to the outlook (NGFO) by $5.059 billion compared to the enacted 2022 supplemental. (That includes appropriations in other legislation.) The maintenance level (the cost of continuing current services, adjusted for enrollment and inflation) is estimated to increase by $914.5 […]
March 23 , 2023 - Emily Makings
Senate chair’s operating budget proposal would increase appropriations by 7.9%, use WRPTA
The Senate Ways & Means Committee chair has proposed an operating budget for 2023–25 that would appropriate $69.184 billion from funds subject to the outlook (NGFO). (That figure includes $50.2 million that would be appropriated by E2SSB 5536, which relates to controlled substances and the Blake decision.) This level of appropriations would be a 7.9% […]
March 23 , 2023 - Emily Makings
State transportation revenues are estimated to track closely to what had been estimated in Feb. 2022, but they are still below pre-pandemic estimates
On Monday, the Transportation Revenue Forecast Council adopted a new transportation revenue forecast. (The documents were posted yesterday afternoon.) Under the forecast, the state is estimated to collect $6.598 billion in transportation revenues in 2021–23 and $7.046 billion in 2023–25. Looking at the 10-year forecast window, the March 2023 forecast estimates that transportation revenues will […]
March 22 , 2023 - Emily Makings
The transportation revenue forecast would be more transparent under a proposal to move responsibility for it to the Economic and Revenue Forecast Council
On Monday, the Senate Transportation Committee heard ESHB 1838, which was passed unanimously by the House earlier this month. The bill would move responsibility for the transportation revenue forecast from transportation agency staff to the Economic and Revenue Forecast Council (ERFC). This would substantially improve transparency. Under current law, the Office of Financial Management (OFM) […]