The following notable items from various agency budget requests are in terms of the general fund–state (GFS) unless otherwise noted:

For bond retirement and interest, the state is recommending adjustments based on the debt service of existing bonds as of Aug. 31, projected debt service from the issuance of bonds that are currently authorized, and other costs. For the GFS, this would reduce spending by $73.8 million in 2023–25 but increase spending by $311.3 million in 2025–27. For all other funds (which include bond retirement paid in the operating and transportation budgets), the request would increase spending by $42.0 million in 2023–25 and make no changes in 2025–27.

The Department of Revenue has requested $1.5 million in 2023–25 and $2.6 million in 2025–27 to “create the necessary enforcement operations” for the capital gains tax. It has also requested $539,000 in 2023–25 and $357,000 in 2025–27 for various technical corrections to the capital gains tax.

The Washington State Arts Commission has requested $9.3 million in 2023–25 and $18.6 million in 2025–27 to essentially tie its funding to the state population. For context, enacted GFS appropriations for the Commission for 2023–25 are $13.4 million. According to the agency, with that appropriation “only 20–30% of our eligible grant applicants can receive support.” The request notes, “Washington’s per capita spending on arts and culture, presently $0.68, has fallen far behind its corollaries nationwide, which average $2.10.” The agency is requesting a $2-per-capita funding model, and “[o]nce established, ArtsWA will review the state population and funding levels and propose any necessary adjustments on a biennial basis.”

The State Conservation Commission has requested $10.0 million in 2023–25 and $10.0 million in 2025–27 for conservation technical assistance funding “to build capacity as conservation districts strive to serve more members of their community, implement more projects on the ground, and retain the high­caliber staff that people have come to rely on at their local conservation district office.” Apparently conservation technical assistance received $1 million in 2019–21, $2 million in 2021–23, and $1 million in the enacted 2023–25 budget.

(Previous posts on agency 2024 supplemental budget requests are here.)