Collective bargaining agreements with state and non-state employees would increase general fund–state spending by $2.893 billion over four years
The state negotiates collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) with general government employees, community college employees, certain law enforcement employees, and ferry employees. It also negotiates CBAs with certain non-state employees, and it negotiates with K–12 school employees over health care benefits. At a work session of the Joint Committee on Employment Relations last week, the Office […]
13th of October 2022
For 2023–25, the Department of Commerce asks to nearly double the substantial GFS budget step-up it received this biennium
The Department of Commerce, like the Department of Health, received extraordinary amounts of federal relief over the past few biennia related to the pandemic. For example, Commerce is the state agency responsible for distributing pandemic rental and business assistance. General fund–state (GFS) appropriations for Commerce in 2021–23 increased by 249.3% over 2019–21. Now, Commerce is […]
12th of October 2022
Department of Health asks for a 325.5% increase to its general fund–state budget
Given the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Health (DOH) has been the recipient of an unusually large amount of federal funds in 2019–21 and 2021–23. (In the chart below, federal funds are included as part of “all funds.”) Meanwhile, general fund–state (GFS) spending for DOH increased by 23.1% in 2019–21 and 35.7% in 2021–23. The […]
Should the working families tax credit be treated as an appropriation or a revenue reduction?
The Department of Revenue (DOR) is one of just 10 agencies that have requested smaller general fund–state (GFS) budgets for 2023–25 than 2021–23. It is asking for a GFS budget reduction of $290.4 million (by far the largest reduction among the agencies). This is due to DOR’s request for a technical correction to the accounting […]
11th of October 2022
The full cost of the Fair Start for Kids Act begins to come into focus
[Updated 10/12/22] The Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) has proposed a 2023–25 budget that would increase its general fund–state (GFS) spending by $1.270 billion (57.3%). The increase represents 8.1% of total GFS requests made by agencies. Only public schools and the Department of Social and Health Services requested larger increases in GFS spending—and […]
Agency budget requests for 2023–25 would increase spending substantially
Most state agencies have now submitted their 2023–25 operating budget requests to the Office of Financial Management (OFM). If the requests were adopted as is by the Legislature, they would increase general fund–state (GFS) spending by 28.5% over 2021–23. (For context, the Economic and Revenue Forecast Council estimates that GFS revenues will increase by 3.4% […]