New brief: House-Passed Supplemental Operating Budget Would Increase Spending, Increase Taxes, and Tap the Rainy Day Fund
The House passed a 2016 supplemental operating budget last night. In a new policy brief, we take a look at the House-passed proposal. Briefly: As passed by the House, the supplemental would increase 2015–17 NGFS+ spending by $478.4 million. Of that, $99.0 million would be spent to recruit and retain teachers and school staff. The […]
25th of February 2016
Spending details from the W&M chair's operating budget proposal
The Senate Ways & Means (W&M) chair's supplemental operating budget proposal would increase NGFS+ spending by $48.8 million. That includes a net of $168.5 million in maintenance level increases (the costs of maintaining current services) and a net of $119.7 million in policy level reductions. Some notable increases at the policy level are: $16.7 million […]
House Appropriations increases spending in its operating budget proposal by an additional $9.9 million
As I noted yesterday, on Tuesday the House Appropriations Committee passed a supplemental operating budget. The final numbers incorporating amendments are now available. As proposed by the Appropriations chair, the budget would have increased 2015-17 spending by $466 million. As passed by the committee, it would increase 2015-17 spending by $476 million. The biggest change […]
24th of February 2016
Ways & Means chair's supplemental operating budget proposal would increase spending by $49 million
Yesterday the House Appropriations committee approved its 2016 supplemental operating budget proposal. The committee adopted several amendments, but new numbers reflecting those changes have not yet been released. As proposed, the budget would increase 2015-17 spending by $466 million. (For more on that proposal, see here, here and here.) Today the Senate Ways & Means […]
23rd of February 2016
Spending highlights from the Appropriations chair's budget proposal, and a comparison to the governor's proposal
As proposed, the House Appropriations chair's 2016 supplemental operating budget would increase near general fund-state plus opportunity pathways (NGFS+) spending by $466 million. Of that, $246.8 million is considered policy level and $219.1 million is maintenance level (the cost of providing current services). The chair's proposal would increase 2015-17 spending by $54.6 million less than […]
More information on the tax increases in the Appropriations Chair's proposed budget
When I wrote yesterday about the Appropriations Chair's supplemental budget proposal, the tax increases included in the proposal had not been identified. More details are available now. The increases will be considered as HB 2996. The bill would increase revenues in 2015-17 by $119.5 million. According to the House Democrats, six tax preferences would be […]
22nd of February 2016
Appropriations Chair's supplemental operating budget proposal would increase spending by $466 million
House Appropriations Chair Hans Dunshee has released his 2016 supplemental operating budget proposal. It would increase 2015-17 near general fund-state plus opportunity pathways (NGFS+) spending by $466 million. Some of the major spending items include $99 million for recruitment and retention of public school staff (including increasing the beginning teacher salary to $40,000), $49 million […]
14th of January 2016
New brief: Gov. Inslee’s 2016 Supplemental Operating Budget Proposal Would Increase 2015–17 Spending by 1.4 Percent
In a new policy brief, we look at Gov. Inslee's proposed 2016 supplemental operating budget. Briefly: Costs for firefighting and other services are significantly higher than anticipated when the original 2015–17 budget was enacted. The proposal would increase 2015–17 spending by $520.5 million. An additional $178.2 million would be spent from the Budget Stabilization Account […]
31st of July 2015
Operating budget increases funding for Washington Exchange by $77 million
As enacted by the Legislature, the 2015-17 operating budget increases total budgeted funds for the Washington Health Benefit Exchange (HBE) to $110.0 million for the biennium. This is an increase of $77.0 million over 2013-15, and an increase of $30.0 million over the maintenance level (the cost of continuing current services). The Seattle Times reports, […]
2nd of July 2015
Operating budget reduces tuition, increases higher education support by $427 million
One of the major headlines of the 2015-17 operating budget is the tuition reduction. According to the Seattle Times, Washington is “the only state in the country to lower tuition for public universities and colleges next year.” Further, Both the UW and WSU said the budget backfilled the loss in tuition revenue that will result […]