Given the forecast revenue increases since the 2019–21 biennial operating budget was enacted last year, the Senate-passed supplemental operating budget would not rely on new taxes and it would not make appropriations from the rainy day fund.

It would increase 2019–21 appropriations from funds subject to the outlook plus the workforce education investment account (NGFO+WEIA) by $1.132 billion. This would mean that 2019–21 appropriations would increase by 20.9 percent over 2017–19. Accounting for inflation, this is the largest percentage spending increase in at least 40 years.

In a departure from the budgets of the past several years, these appropriations are focused on homelessness and human services rather than on education.

The budget includes some measures that would help temper the probable unsustainability of the large spending increases. Still, it would be better if the Legislature moderated the spending increases in this supplemental budget year.

Read the report here. (And our side-by-side comparison of the Senate- and House-passed budgets is available here.)