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Category: State Budget

State Revenue Forecast is Mixed

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Today (March 20) the Revenue Forecast was released. The forecast is prepared by the state’s nonpartisan Economic and Revenue Forecast Council, and used by both the executive and legislative branches in budget preparation.

Budget writers in the House and Senate can now finish up their respective proposals, as the overall picture moves into focus.

For more detail, read the UW Office of Planning & Budgeting’s brief on the forecast (PDF).

Watch the forecast report on TVW:

[tvw query=”eventID=2013030011&start=&stop=” width=”550″ height=”320″]Overall, revenues were up in the 2011-13 Biennium, and down in the 2013-15 Biennium.

Continue reading “State Revenue Forecast is Mixed”

Day 60: Off the Floor and Back to Committee. Next Up: State Budget

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Yesterday (March 13) was the “floor cutoff” in the State Legislature. Bills that didn’t make it out of their chamber of origin are now considered “dead.” Of course, bills can still be revived in Olympia-speak if they are “NTIB,” which means “necessary to implement the budget.”

TVW has a brief summary of several high-profile bills that made it out alive.

So what happens next? As The News Tribune reports:

Starting today, long days of floor action are over in the Legislature, and attention turns to the state budget.

Legislative members will now also be spending time studying proposals in committee that passed the opposite chamber before the cutoff.

Continue reading “Day 60: Off the Floor and Back to Committee. Next Up: State Budget”

State Supreme Court Strikes Down Supermajority Vote Requirement

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Via the Associated Press:

A divided high court ruled 6-3 Thursday that an initiative requiring a two-thirds vote was in conflict with the state Constitution. And that lawmakers and the people of Washington would need to pass a constitutional amendment to change from a simple majority to a supermajority.

Continue reading “State Supreme Court Strikes Down Supermajority Vote Requirement”

This Week in Olympia: Legislature Kicks Off, Governor Sworn In, Committees Get to Work

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On Monday, members of the House & Senate took their oaths of office. In the State Senate, as was expected, the Majority Coalition Caucus took control after a brief floor fight.

https://twitter.com/brianmrosenthal/status/290942408521310209

On Tuesday, Gov. Gregoire delivered the final State of the State address of her 8-year tenure.

On Wednesday, Gov. Jay Inslee was sworn-in and delivered his inaugural address. In his speech, the new Governor noted the role UW and other public universities play in growing the economy.

At a press availability later in the day, Gov. Inslee further noted that he did not believe extending certain taxes would break his no-new taxes campaign pledge:

Also on Wednesday, the House Higher Education Committee held a Work Session, with public four-year institutions presenting. Watch the proceedings on TVW, and be sure to catch UW State Relations’ presentation here.

On Thursday, the Senate Higher Education Committee met for the first time with Sen. Barbara Bailey (R-Whidbey Island) at the helm as Chair. On the docket: An update on the state budget, overview of the Guaranteed Education Tuition (GET) Program & recommendations from the Legislative Advisory Committee to the GET Committee, and overview of the State Need Grant & College Bound Scholarship Program. Watch the proceedings on TVW.

Also on Thursday, Nathan Schlicher (J.D. ’02, M.D., ’06) was appointed by county commissioners in the 26th Legislative District to fill the State Senate Seat left vacant by now Congressman Derek Kilmer.

Today, the Senate Law & Justice Committee held a work session and hearing on alcohol-related issues on college campuses.

For more Olympia-related news, tune in to TVW’s Inside Olympia segment. Host Austin Jenkins interviews State Senators Andy Hill (R-Redmond), Steve Litzow (R-Mercer Island), Jim Hargrove (D-Hoquiam), and Sharon Nelson (D-Maury Island).

At Associated Press Forum, Legislators Preview Session, Gov-Elect Inslee Announces Appointments

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With the start of the 105-day legislative session set to kick off next Monday, Jan. 14, the Associated Press held its annual forum featuring state legislators and decision-makers in Olympia today.

The big topics? Finding additional funding for basic education, the committee structure and leadership of the State Senate, and addressing the estimated $1 billion shortfall in the state budget.

As The News Tribune reports, despite disagreement between the Majority Coalition and Senate Democrats, some individual members of the Democratic caucus may still take State Senate committee chairmanships when session starts next week.

After legislators wrapped up their session preview, Gov-Elect Jay Inslee took the podium to announce several key appointments in his new administration, and to make brief remarks.

The Gov-Elect’s appointments are as follows:

Employment Security – Dale Peinecke

Labor & Industries  – Joel Sacks

Retirement Systems  – Marcie Frost

Veterans Affairs – Alfie Alvarado-Ramos

Department of Social and Health Services  – Kevin Quigley

In terms of Higher Ed policy in the upcoming session, Gov-Elect Inslee outlined an effort he plans to launch to address STEM degree production, and other critical skill gaps.

Yesterday, Gov-Elect Inslee announced the appointment of his budget director.

According to the Transition Office, David Schumacher, a Husky alum and veteran of the Senate Ways & Means Committee, will take on the position at OFM.

Most recently, Schumacher served as executive director of the Council of Presidents, representing the six public university presidents, and through that position has become well-acquainted with higher education policy.

More from the Seattle Times:

Schumacher knows the state budget top to bottom and helped the Senate navigate the recession. “The Governor-Elect has given me clear direction to look for real, long-term solutions as we balance the budget and make state government more efficient,” Schumacher said in a statement.

You can watch today’s AP Legislative Preview in three hour-long episodes on the TVW website:

PART 1: Leadership panel discussion with Senate Majority Leader Rodney Tom (D-Bellevue), House Speaker Frank Chopp (D-Seattle), Senate Democratic Leader Ed Murray (D-Seattle) and House Republican Leader Richard DeBolt (R-Chehalis).

PART 2: Budget funding panel discussion with State Sup’t Randy Dorn, State Rep. Ross Hunter (D-Medina), State Sen. Steve Litzow (R-Mercer Island), Chris Korsmo (CEO, League of Education Voters) and moderated by AP reporter Mike Baker.

Part 3: Conversation with Gov-Elect Jay Inslee.

Reinvestment proposal offers to freeze tuition

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President Young today joined with presidents of the state’s other public four-year universities in asking the Legislature to bolster sagging state investment.

In exchange for a $225 million reinvestment in the 2013-15 operating budget, the universities offered to hold resident undergraduate tuition at current rates for the next two years.

Responding to the proposal in the Seattle Times, State Rep. Ross Hunter, D-Medina, chairman of the House Ways & Means Committee, said:

“Do I think it will be difficult to find $225 million? Yes,” Hunter said. “But can we continue to do this long-term destruction of the higher-ed system? No.”

The Times noted:

“An infusion of $225 million would bring funding levels back to about what they were in 2009.”

The Times also reported that the presidents long term goal is to return to a 50/50 funding formula, where students and the state share the costs of higher education:

“Currently, about 67 percent of the cost of going to a four-year public college in Washington is borne by students and their families, with the state picking up the remainder.”

Commenting on the reinvestment proposal, UW Regent Joanne Harrell said in a statement:

“As a Regent, I’ve seen first hand how difficult this recession has been on our students and families. This proposal is a win-win. It makes higher education more affordable and ensures our students have access to the high quality education they deserve.”

Read the Seattle Times story, and let us know what you think:

The Week in Tweets: State Senate Negotiations, and Budget Blueprints

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Power sharing talks continue in the State Senate, via The Olympian:

The situation in the State Senate also attracted the attention of The New York Times this week:

Rep. Reuven Carlyle (D-Seattle) talks about his philosophy as the incoming House Finance Chair:

House Budget leaders preview the upcoming session on TVW:

Finally, the Seattle Times profiles Sen. Rodney Tom (D-Medina) and his role in the new State Senate Majority Coalition:

https://twitter.com/brianmrosenthal/status/282965208870305793

 

Gov. Gregoire Releases 2013-2015 Budget Blueprint

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Governor Chris GregoireIn her last budget before leaving office, Gov. Chris Gregoire this week addressed the state’s nearly $1 billion budget deficit, and tackled a court mandate to fully fund basic education.

Read UW’s Office of Planning & Budgeting brief and blog post on the Governor’s 2013-2015 budget proposal.

The Governor released both a “Book 1” and a “Book 2” budget.

The “Book 1” budget is required by law to be balanced within current revenues.

As the state is facing a $970 million budget shortfall in 2013-2015, the Governor’s Book 1 is an all cuts budget, and would cut spending in higher education by $52 Million.

The “Book 2” budget includes the Governor’s plans for addressing the state’s financial situation through a mix of spending cuts, savings, and revenue increases.

In keeping with the no new cuts to higher education budget she signed in 2011, Gov. Gregoire’s 2013-2015 “Book 2” budget would largely hold higher education harmless from cuts.

It also includes several targeted investments in STEM programs and financial aid:

  • Creating a STEM enrollment pool ($11 million)
  • Supporting UW College of Engineering ($1 million per year)
  • Funding College Bound Scholarships ($35 million).

In terms of compensation, the budget restores the temporary, 3% salary reduction to state workers, but allocates those funds to implement the university’s collective bargaining agreements.

The budget does not assume new tuition increases, though the six public universities still have tuition-setting authority passed in 2011.

In sum, under the Governor’s “Book 2” budget, state appropriations for each of the state’s six public universities would increase slightly over the next two years.

Responding to the release of Gov. Gregoire’s budget, a spokesman for Gov.-Elect Jay Inslee’s transition team told the Tacoma News Tribune:

“In the upcoming legislative session, Governor-Elect Inslee will lay out his own budget priorities that reflect his vision for state government…”

Meanwhile, two top Republicans on budget-writing committees in the House and Senate told TVW the proposal may be useful as a reference point, but were cool to the idea of new revenues.

In the upcoming 105-day session, the State Legislature will review the new Governor’s proposals, develop its own, and propose new laws to fund it.

Stay tuned for more news & analysis, as we approach January 14, the first day of session!

Budget Resources

Watch the Governor’s press conference on TVW.

Read the Governor’s press release announcing her budget.

Read the Governor’s Office policy briefs.