Four facts about the state budget which do not mesh

Four facts about the state budget which do not mesh

Four facts about the state budget which do not mesh

Fact One: The 2017-19 Washington state operating budget is 14 percent larger than the 2015-2017 budget.

2015-17 $38.2 billion
2017-19 $43.7 billion

Source: Fiscal.wa.gov

Fact Two: State revenue for the 2017-19 biennium increased by $647 million over what was expected when the budget passed.

“(T)he total General Fund State forecast increase for the current biennium is $647 million.”

“Forecasted revenue for the 2017-19 biennium is now $44.213 billion, 15.4 percent more than that of the 2015-17 biennium.”

Source: Economic & Revenue Forecast Council, Economic & Revenue Review: February 15, 2018 Pg. 6

Fact Three: Democrats in the House are seeking an additional $1.8 billion tax increase from a capital gains income Tax (plus $518 million targeted tax reductions)

Sources:

Fact Four: Democrats in the Senate are seeking another $638 million tax increase from a carbon tax

Sources:

Senior Policy Analyst
jlund@freedomfoundation.com
Jami Lund is the Freedom Foundation’s Senior Policy Analyst. From 2004 to 2011, he developed legislative policy as a research analyst for the Washington House Republican Caucus. Prior to that he worked for the Freedom Foundation as the Project Manager for the Teachers Paycheck Protection project, shepherding the development of the Foundation’s landmark U.S. Supreme Court case to protect teacher rights. Jami is an accomplished speaker and researcher, one of Washington state’s top scholars on education policy and finance.