Budget

Comparing the 2021 supplemental budget proposals

Rep. Stokesbary’s proposal for a 2021 supplemental operating budget would reduce 2019–21 appropriations from funds subject to the outlook (NGFO) by $1.573 billion. Of that, maintenance level changes (the cost of continuing current services, adjusted for enrollment and inflation) would reduce appropriations by $909.6 million and new policy would reduce appropriations by $663.1 million. However, […]

The budget outlook improves again

In a policy brief last week, we showed that the state does not have a shortfall in the operating budget. With today’s revenue collections report, the budget outlook has improved again. As Kriss wrote earlier, the most recent month of collections came in $269.5 million above the November 2020 forecast. I’ve added that figure to […]

House Republican budget proposal would use the rainy day fund (including for a recovery rebate for low-income individuals)

Today Rep. Drew Stokesbary, ranking member of the House Appropriations Committee, released proposals for a 2021 supplemental and a 2021–23 biennial operating budget. Like the proposals from Sen. Wilson last week, Rep. Stokesbary’s proposals would drain the rainy day fund in 2021 and would not increase general taxes. The 2021 supplemental would reduce appropriations from […]

The 2021 supplemental: Comparing proposals from Gov. Inslee and Senate Republicans

Sen. Wilson’s proposal for a 2021 supplemental operating budget would reduce 2019–21 appropriations from funds subject to the outlook (NGFO) by $1.421 billion. That includes maintenance level (the cost of continuing current services, adjusted for enrollment and inflation) and new policy changes. By comparison, Gov. Inslee’s proposed 2021 supplemental (as revised by the Office of […]

New brief: Washington Does Not Have a Budget Shortfall

The state budget situation looked dire last summer. Since then, both the revenue and spending sides of the balance sheet have improved. Revenues in 2019–21 are expected to be 10.7% higher than in 2017–19 (following several biennia of extraordinary revenue growth). Enacted 2019–21 appropriations from funds subject to the outlook are 20.2% higher than 2017–19. […]

Republican budget proposal would drain the rainy day fund and avoid new taxes

Sen. Lynda Wilson, ranking member of the Senate Ways & Means Committee, has released a 2021 supplemental proposal and a 2021–23 operating budget proposal. The 2021 supplemental would reduce appropriations from funds subject to the outlook (NGFO) by $1.421 billion. Revised 2019–21 appropriations would be $52.279 billion (still an increase of 17.0% over 2017–19). Appropriations […]

Official budget outlook estimates that Gov. Inslee’s budget proposal would leave $1.9 billion in unrestricted reserves at the end of 2023–25

Today the Economic and Revenue Forecast Council (ERFC) adopted an official budget outlook based on Gov. Inslee’s operating budget proposal. The 2021–23 budget proposal not only balances over four years but would leave an exceptionally large unrestricted ending balance (in funds subject to the outlook) of $1.904 billion in 2023–25. This is the largest ending […]

House and Senate Democrats propose spending $164.3 million from the rainy day fund and would direct how to spend $2.425 billion of federal funding

Friday afternoon Democrats in the House and Senate announced their early action relief bills (HB 1367 and HB 1368, and companion bills SB 5343 and SB 5344). Together, the bills would appropriate $2.589 billion from state and local funds ($164.3 million from the rainy day fund and $2.425 billion in federal funds). Of that, $403.6 […]

Revenue collections continue to improve the budget outlook

As Kriss wrote earlier this week, the December and January collections reports showed that state revenues have so far come in $323.1 million higher the November revenue forecast. The balance sheet below includes these higher collections. The maintenance level estimates are from Gov. Inslee’s budget proposal. (These are the estimated costs of continuing current services, […]

Gov. Inslee’s current law budget proposal phoned in

State law requires the governor to propose a budget that balances within current resources (RCW 43.88.030(1)). This is called the “current law” budget or the “book 1” budget. Additionally, the governor “may” submit a budget that increases taxes (called the “book 2” budget). The budget Gov. Inslee proposed in December is his book 2 budget. […]