Budget

Sundry appropriations and provisos in the operating budget

Our policy brief on the enacted operating budget provides an overarching look at the budget’s sustainability problems, and it lists the major new spending items. But many smaller-ticket items are included in the budget as well. Here are some interesting ones (in terms of funds subject to the outlook and for 2021–23, unless otherwise noted): […]

Across operating, capital, and transportation budgets, Legislature appropriated $10.1 billion in federal relief dollars (on top of $7.2 billion previously allocated)

Over $24 billion in federal relief has flown or will flow through Washington’s state and local governments. Of that, $7.238 billion was allocated by the governor last year or appropriated by the Legislature in early action bills this session. As part of the final operating, capital, and transportation budgets this session, the Legislature appropriated an […]

Including federal relief, Legislature increased operating appropriations to $67.365 billion for 2021–23

Operating appropriations passed by the Legislature from funds subject to the outlook (NGFO) are $52.562 billion for 2019–21 and $59.213 billion for 2021–23. (NGFO appropriations for 2021–23 are $20.0 million higher as passed by the Legislature April 25 than as proposed in the conference agreement. The difference is due to appropriations in ESB 5476.) The […]

State-funded policy changes would reduce 2019–21 appropriations by $210.3 million

On Sunday, the Legislature passed a 2021 supplemental to the 2019–21 operating budget. The governor has not yet signed the budget; he will assuredly make some line-item vetoes, so these numbers are not final. Also, note that the numbers in this post do not include substantial federal relief funding—we’ll look at those dollars in a […]

Legislators didn’t need to cut spending this year because there was no budget shortfall, but transfer of reserves could leave budget vulnerable

The Legislature adjourned yesterday, on schedule. Legislators passed a 2021–23 operating budget that appropriates $59.193 billion from funds subject to the outlook. The Seattle Times reports, “Democratic budget writers hailed the spending plan as a bold investment that will pay dividends. They said they don’t want to repeat the steep and counterproductive spending reductions that […]

Operating budget conference report would appropriate $59.193 billion in 2021–23

The conference report for the operating budget would appropriate $52.562 billion for 2019–21 (a decrease of 2.1% from the 2020 supplemental, but an increase of 17.6% over 2017–19) and $59.193 billion for 2021–23 (an increase of 12.6% over revised 2019–21 appropriations). These figures are in terms of funds subject to the outlook (NGFO); they fall […]

New brief: Senate- and House-Passed Operating Budgets Would Needlessly Drain the Rainy Day Fund

The Senate and House have passed broadly similar operating budgets. Both would impose a capital gains tax. Both would increase spending from funds subject to the outlook (NGFO) by double digits in 2021–23. Both would appropriate billions of dollars in federal relief funds. Both would drain the rainy day fund. Across the 2021 supplemental and […]

Including federal relief funds, the spending increases in the operating budget proposals are extraordinarily high

As I showed yesterday, the state has already allocated or appropriated $7.311 billion in federal relief dollars. On top of that, the Senate-passed operating budget would appropriate $6.837 billion and the House-passed operating budget would appropriate $8.776 billion in federal relief over three years. This relief funding does not just maintain state spending (as the […]

House-passed operating budget would appropriate $1.189 billion less than the Senate over three years

On Saturday the House passed its operating budget. As passed, it would appropriate $52.319 billion from funds subject to the outlook (NGFO) for 2019–21 (a decrease of 2.6% over the 2020 supplemental) and $58.479 billion from the NGFO for 2021–23 (an increase of 11.8% over the proposed 2021 supplemental). The House-passed budget would appropriate $1.189 […]

Senate-passed operating budget would appropriate $59.282 billion for 2021–23, plus more than $6 billion in federal relief funds (over three years)

Yesterday the Senate passed its operating budget. As passed, the 2021 supplemental to the 2019–21 budget would appropriate $52.704 billion from funds subject to the outlook (NGFO). That’s a reduction of 1.9% from the enacted 2020 supplemental, but an increase of 17.9% over 2017–19. The 2021–23 biennial budget would appropriate $59.282 billion from the NGFO, […]