The Washington Research Council considers budget sustainability to be a primary objective of state fiscal policy and key to our state’s fiscal health, the certainty of government services, and the competitiveness of Washington’s economy.

This new periodic review of the state’s fiscal performance will evaluate Washington’s operating budget on multiple factors, including Spending Growth Sustainability, Competitiveness, Reserve Adequacy, and Transparency and Adaptability.

The state has an important role in providing public goods and social services. But no matter how desirable such spending may be, it must be balanced against revenue constraints. The goal of state fiscal policy should be to provide a measure of certainty and stability for Washingtonians who rely on government goods and services and for taxpayers who support them.

Read the report here. Explore the data here.