Budget

New policy brief: Despite Substantial Recent Revenue Growth, Legislature Increases Taxes by Over $1 Billion

The March revenue forecast estimated that 2019–21 revenues will be $50.555 billion, an increase of 9.6 percent over 2017–19 (also as estimated in the March forecast). Nevertheless, the Legislature passed several tax bills that will increase total revenues by a net of $1.101 billion in 2019–21 (based on the most recent fiscal estimates). Of that, […]

Gov. Inslee signs operating budget, vetoes several sections

Today Gov. Inslee signed the budget and tax bills. (Our overview of the 2019–21 budget deal is here, and our brief detailing appropriations is here.) Although there had been calls for the governor to veto SHB 2167 (the additional business and occupation tax for large financial institutions) and ESSB 5997 (the sales tax refund program […]

New policy brief: State Operating Appropriations for 2019–21 Increase by 18.3 Percent, Topping $50 Billion

Operating appropriations for 2019–21, as passed by the Legislature, are $52.852 billion— an 18.3 percent increase over 2017–19 appropriations. This is the largest increase in at least 25 years, and it comes after significant increases of 13.6 percent in 2015–17 and 16.9 percent in 2017–19. A major contributor to the increase in appropriations for 2019–21 […]

Running tally of 2019 revenue legislation, 3rd edition

[UPDATE 6/27/2019: An updated version of the table is available here.] The Legislature passed several tax bills this year. But because so much happened in the last few days of the legislative session, estimates of the fiscal impacts of bills as passed are still being updated. The table below incorporates the most recent fiscal notes […]

New brief: Legislature Adopts New Taxes to Increase 2019–21 Spending by 18.3 Percent

Appropriations for 2019–21 from funds subject to the outlook and the new workforce education investment account total $52.852 billion (pending gubernatorial action), an 18.3 percent increase over 2017–19. That includes $2.367 billion of spending on new policy. Major new spending items include funding the collective bargaining agreements with state employees and school employee health benefits, […]

More work groups and studies authorized by the budget

The 2019–21 operating budget, as passed by the Legislature, authorizes several work groups and reports (in addition to the tax structure work group I wrote about earlier). Here’s a sampling. Taxes: Sec. 137(4): The Department of Revenue must report (by Dec. 1, 2019) on annual collections of retail sales tax on sales at fairs. Sec. […]

2019–21 operating budget reauthorizes tax structure work group

The 2019–21 operating budget passed by the Legislature April 28 reauthorizes the tax structure work group that was created in 2017 and issued a report in December. Under section 137(2)(c) of the budget bill, the Department of Revenue (DOR) is required to facilitate the work group. The work group is to include two members from […]

Running tally of 2019 revenue legislation, 2nd edition

[UPDATE 6/27/2019: An updated version of the table is available here.] Last week, I posted a table of the revenue effects of legislation passed by the Legislature this session. Since then, several fiscal notes have been added or updated. The latest information is in the table below. Note that these numbers are still not final. […]

School district levy limits increased, and more property tax collections diverted from the rainy day fund

On the last day of the legislative session, the Legislature passed two bills that make changes to school district funding: ESSB 5313 and ESHB 2140. (Gov. Inslee has not yet signed either bill.) The Legislature has long limited the amount that school districts can raise through local levies. In calendar year 2018, school districts were […]

Policy changes in 2019–21 operating budget increase appropriations by $2.3 billion

The 2019–21 operating budget passed by the Legislature appropriates $52.419 billion from funds subject to the outlook (NGFO) and $393.6 million from the new workforce education investment account (WEIA, in E2SHB 2158). The spending from the WEIA would normally come from the NGFO, so it is appropriate, for the sake of budget transparency, to convey […]