Blog

Too Many Cooks

The fifth paper in the Thrive Washington series was released yesterday.  Consolidation versus Specialization looks at ways to restructure the executive branch.  It makes these recommendations: Reduce the number of statewide elected officials from nine to six.  (Specifically, have the governor appoint the state insurance commissioner and the lands commissioner and eliminate the elected office […]

Supplementing Some More

A week ago, Gov. Gregoire signed the fourth 2009-11 supplemental budget into law.  Our policy brief on what’s included is available here. Taking into account the governor’s vetoes, the supplemental reduces the remaining NGFS shortfall by $361 million.  Unfortunately, four rounds and cumulative spending cuts totaling $1.1 billion later, the 2009-11 budget is still not […]

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 […]

How to Contain Health Care Spending

Yesterday the latest paper in the Thrive Washington series was released: Containing State Health Care Spending While Improving Outcomes. This was a timely release, given the vote yesterday in the U.S. House of Representatives to repeal federal health care reform and the major cuts in health spending that are being contemplated in the Washington legislature. […]

Governor Gregoire’s 2011–13 Budget Proposal

Our Policy Brief on Gov. Gregoire’s 2011–13 budget proposal is available here.

Governor's 2011 Supplemental

We have a new policy brief on Gov. Gregoire’s proposed 2011 supplemental budget.  Although the legislature made deep cuts to the 2009-11 budget during its special session a few weeks ago, they did not completely close the gap.  The governor’s proposal would do so.  It takes into account revised estimates as to the costs to […]

Better Services, Lower Costs!

The third paper in the Thrive Washington series is now available.  The Case for Contracting Out: A Vital Tool to Help Balance Washington’s Budget and Improve Public Services shows how the state could save money by contracting out a variety of services it currently provides. Other states have had success with opening services to competitive […]

Only the Beginning

Today we published a policy brief on the special session that took place on Saturday.  As discussed in the brief, legislators made good headway in addressing the $1.1 billion 2009-11 budget shortfall:  They reduced it by $588 million. The $588 million comes in the form of budget reductions ($490.4 million), fund transfers ($54 million), a […]

Nine Steps to Budget Sustainability

Yesterday the second paper in the Thrive Washington series was released.  Nine Steps to Budget Sustainability in Washington State recommends changes to the state budget process and highlights areas requiring special attention. The steps are: 1. Manage the size and compensation of the state workforce to improve efficiency. 2. Improve budget transparency. 3. Reinstate a […]

Thrive Washington

It’s clear from yesterday’s defeat of I-1098 and approval of I-1107 and I-1053 that Washington voters do not want to be taxed more. At the same time, the state budget status quo is unsustainable.  To make policy recommendations that will put state government on a better path, the Washington Roundtable and the Washington Research Council […]