Budget

Agency budget requests would deepen the already-expected budget shortfall

It was clear from the get-go that the 2025–27 operating budget was not sustainable. Even before the state revenue forecast was revised downward in June and September, the Office of Financial Management (OFM) told agencies, “We will very likely continue to face a challenging state budget environment in the coming year.” Consequently, OFM asked them […]

OSPI submits comparatively modest request for 2026 supplemental budget

The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) is requesting a $138.5 million (0.4%) increase in general fund–state (GFS) appropriations for the 2026 supplemental. (The proposal would cost $343.7 million in 2027–29.) Though modest compared to the amount of enacted GFS appropriations for K–12 in 2025–27 ($31.050 billion), the request includes some major new spending. […]

HCA budget request does not provide a good estimate of the cost of continuing current services or of addressing the impacts of H.R. 1

The enacted 2025–27 operating budget appropriates $8.924 billion from the general fund–state (GFS) for the Health Care Authority (HCA). For the 2026 supplemental budget, HCA is requesting an additional $201.0 million (2.3%) from the GFS for the biennium. The additional spending would cost $267.9 million in 2027–29. Most of this GFS impact comes from two […]

DSHS supplemental budget request includes spending to address federal changes to SNAP

The 2026 supplemental operating budget request from the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) includes increased state funding in response to the Medicaid and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) changes made by the federal government in H.R. 1. (The Health Care Authority is the main administrator of Medicaid in Washington, but DSHS also receives […]

State liability account shortfall could grow to more than $1.3 billion by end of 2025–27

One reason the enacted 2025–27 operating budget is not sustainable is that legislators ignored the shortfall in the state liability account, even though they knew that it faced a substantial deficit at the end of June 2025. As I wrote in July, net income to the account had been negative since FY 2015, despite a […]