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Two bills passed into law following late night floor action

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 19:01:03 +0000

The Senate passed a bill that fixes a state Supreme Court ruling on the estate tax just before midnight on Thursday, sending the bill to Gov. Jay Inslee's desk in the early hours of the morning to be signed into law. The House approved the same measure earlier in the day.

Gov. Inslee cancels trip as state agencies prepare for possible shutdown

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 17:30:52 +0000

Gov. Jay Inslee has cancelled his upcoming trip to the Paris Air Show amid concerns about a possible state government shutdown.

House and Senate leaders talk about special session on ‘The Impact’

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 17:08:20 +0000

On tonight's edition of The Impact, leaders from all four corners of the Legislature talk about why the body was unable to complete its work during the first special session -- and what their expectations are for the second special session.

Gov. Inslee calls second special session as government shutdown looms

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 19:58:29 +0000

Gov. Jay Inslee called for a second special session to begin Wednesday as his advisers prepare for what could be an unprecedented government shutdown if the Legislature doesn't adopt a budget by July 1.

Tuesday final day of 30-day special session

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 00:23:13 +0000

Tuesday is the final day of the 30-day special session and without a budget deal in place, it is likely that lawmakers will have to go into a second special session to get the job done.

Senate passes revised budget, 25-23

Sat, 08 Jun 2013 23:15:51 +0000

The state Senate adopted a revised budget proposal on Saturday afternoon on 25-23 vote, with the mostly Republican Majority Coalition Caucus in support and Democrats opposed.

House passes revised budget proposal

Fri, 07 Jun 2013 19:04:30 +0000

The House passed a revised budget on Thursday evening, along with a bill that would raise $255 million dollars for education by closing several tax breaks.

Senate majority makes offer on budget, but releases no details

Fri, 07 Jun 2013 00:05:25 +0000

The Senate Majority Coalition Caucus announced at a 5-minute press conference on Thursday that they've made a counter-offer to the House on the budget. But they released no details about what's in that offer.

Revenue increase may help budget negotiations

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 21:28:08 GMT

The June report to the Economic and Revenue Forecast Council shows that revenues in Washington have grown by roughly $230 million since the March report.

Combined with additional revenue from a drop in the state caseload forecast and agreement on the Bracken estate tax fix, budget negotiators find themselves at their closest point since negotiations began. With these numbers in hand, legislators are hopeful that they will be able to end a grueling series of sessions and meet many of their goals.

“This is really a good report. I think the best news is that our economy is continuing to gradually improve and the additional revenue that has shown up in this projection for our next budget cycle I believe will help us get our budget work done in short order,” said Sen. Jim Hargrove, D-Hoquiam, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Ways & Means Committee. “We’re going to be able to make significant increases in education while we don’t severely damage programs that keep our citizens healthy and safe. ”

The rosier economic outlook is buoyed by upticks in the housing and construction markets and small improvements in the state’s sales tax collection. While concerns still exist over Europe, China and US federal economic policies, the numbers continue to point to economic recovery and a return to pre-recession levels.

Click here for the revenue forecast radio release.

A tale of two budgets: Which is the better one for Washington?

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 21:27:00 GMT

-Sen. Nick Harper

The legislative session was supposed to be over two months ago. So why are lawmakers still at loggerheads in Olympia?

Some context: The dual budget challenge for lawmakers is a billion-dollar shortfall in the state’s operating budget and the Supreme Court’s McCleary decision requiring billions in additional funding for our public schools over the next five years. At the same time, $645 million in taxes on beer and professional services will expire at the end of this month -- in what will amount to one of the largest tax cuts in state history.

The Senate Republican majority has proposed a budget that they say prioritizes education. Yet, it does very little to support pre-kindergarten, all-day kindergarten or the reduction of early elementary class sizes – investments which we know work to improve our kids’ education. They also have refused to pass the “telecommunications parity bill” – legislation which could cost our state over $1.1 billion the next four years. That lost revenue will undercut the “proposed” investments the Republicans make in this budget in education. The Senate Republican budget, built on an unstable foundation:

Relies on over $100 million in unspecified so-called “administrative efficiencies”, after the state budget has already been cut $12 billion since 2009;
Counts a “re-appropriation” of funding for Initiative 732 for teachers’ COLAs – a $321 million payment that the Legislature hasn’t made since 2009;
Makes dramatic cuts to services for women, children, the elderly and others, including cuts to:

-programs for mentally ill and disabled individuals;

-support payments for adoptive families;

-modest funding for families with children, who are struggling to meet basic needs;

-the WorkFirst program that helps families seeking employment;

-assistance for seniors who care for young relatives to avoid placing them in foster care

-funding for aging, blind or disabled citizens

-civil legal aid for families facing foreclosure, unwarranted eviction and domestic violence

Yet, Senate Republicans continue to claim their budget is a sustainable way of meeting our state’s education obligations under McCleary.

The House Democrats have proposed a budget that prioritizes education by making significant investments in students at the beginning of their learning careers – when research shows it is most crucial – and throughout their k-12 education. The Democrats’ budget makes these investments while continuing to provide essential services to women, children, the elderly and veterans in our state. Protecting services for our children in foster care as well as to vets who are struggling to stabilize their lives is a critical part of the Democrats’ budget.

The Democrats, also, are willing to pass the telecommunications bill and protect $1 billion in funding for our children’s education and their future.

Democrats believe this is not only the right moral path – it is also the most fiscally responsible path. After all, these people don’t just disappear when their support programs disappear – they’ll only end up in our emergency rooms or our criminal justice system, costing taxpayers, our communities and the individuals themselves far more. Democrats realize that sick or hungry students can’t learn. Students who benefit from these essential services outside the classroom cannot be expected to perform inside the classroom once they are eliminated, and so any “savings” achieved by these cuts are an illusion on a balance sheet.

With today’s announcement from the state’s Economic and Revenue Forecast Council of $230 million in greater-than-expected revenues, leaders in both chambers and both sides of the aisle will likely rush toward a short-term budget agreement in order to avert a government shutdown on July 1. Republicans, of course, can be expected to say that additional revenue is now more unjustified than ever. But even today’s welcome news cannot resolve all of the unacceptable flaws in the Senate Republican’s budget. After all, the additional and reliable sources of revenue the House budget contains will help our state meet our long-term education needs more sustainably than accounting gimmicks or shredding the social safety net ever will. We have to be prepared to continue this conversation about our long-term needs even after we solve our immediate-term problem. Additionally, the Republicans should bring the telecommunications bill to the floor and not jeopardize over a billion dollars in critical funding for our children’s future.

One final thought: Republicans can be expected to continue to compare the education investments found in the House and Senate budgets. They will claim that education is not just a constitutional obligation but a moral obligation as well -- and will suggest that their approach better fulfills it. We do have a moral obligation to fund education, and we also have a moral obligation to provide help to low-income seniors, individuals with disabilities, and low-income families with children. So what advantage does the Senate budget provide our k-12 system at the expense of our safety net? Here’s an apples-to-apples comparison:

	*Basic ed additions*	*Basic ed net (adds minus cuts)*	*Net k-12 increase over 2011-13*	*Total k-12 in 2013-15*
*House budget*	$905 million	$417.3 million	$1.35 billion	$14.996 billion
*House budget + revenue*	$1.01 billion	$525 million	$1.46 billion	$15.104 billion
*Senate budget*	$1 billion	$548.3 million	$1.48 billion	$15.127 billion

AUDIO: Revenue increase may provide boost to budget negotiations

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 20:54:41 GMT

An increase in revenue may help speed along negotiations between the House and Senate. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD

AUDIO: Senate vote saves $160 million in education funding

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 07:33:50 GMT

The Legislature worked past midnight Thursday night to fix a hole in the estate tax and preserve millions of dollars in education funding. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD

Eye on the Majority: Senate Republicans risk state collapse to push ideological agenda

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 18:16:00 GMT

As the state inches closer to a Republican shutdown that would shutter state doors, suspend school funding, close parks at the height of vacation season and freeze aid to businesses across the state, newspaper editorial boards are starting to call on Senate Republicans to quit rolling the dice with the welfare of families and businesses across our state. See what newspapers across the state are saying.

PODCAST: In the Loop, Special Session Edition. Democrats urge majority to compromise before government shutdown deadline

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 22:06:02 GMT

Welcome to In The Loop, a podcast update on the activities of the Washington Senate Democratic Caucus. To download In the Loop, click HERE.

AUDIO: Government shutdown looms as second special session begins

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 21:09:39 GMT

The Washington State Senate has until July 11th to complete a second 30-day special session, but an earlier deadline poses a bigger threat. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD

Gov. Inslee: Senate Republicans are “trying to leverage our obligation to Washington’s school children to pass its ideological agenda”

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 20:55:00 GMT

In a press conference on Tuesday, Gov. Jay Inslee called out Senate Republicans on their political game playing over the state budget. Inslee pointed out that Democratic legislators put partisan policy goals on the back burner during the special session in order to focus on the state's single most urgent need, the budget - and challenged Republicans to respond in kind instead of holding the budget hostage to force passage of ideological policy bills.

You can watch the press conference here.

Sen. Murray: “Republicans need to focus…, and they need to compromise”

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 20:43:00 GMT

Senate Democratic Leader Ed Murray, D-Seattle, issued the following statements today regarding the status of budget talks with Senate Republicans on this final day of the first special session:

"Our constitutional obligation as lawmakers is to pass a budget. We haven't done that, and that's why we're in special session. The Legislature's focus should be on the budget, the budget, and only the budget.

“If the public wants to know why we are still in session in June without a budget, it’s because Republicans are focused on other items: five ideological policy bills they call “reforms.” If the public wants to know why we are edging closer to the fiscal cliff, these bills are your answer.

“These so-called reforms – none of which are necessary to the budget -- include a bill to give the MoneyTree company new tools to prey on low-income families, a bill to punish our teachers by eliminating their due process, a bill to help employers get injured employees off their books, a bill to hamper our local governments’ ability to properly manage and dispose of hazardous substances, and a bill to pull long-term funding away from critical services for low-income seniors, individuals with disabilities and low-income families with children. And they’d like to give a tax break to the wealthiest families among us for good measure.

“Does the public believe our work isn’t done unless and until we pass these bills? Not likely. And yet, as the Republican budget lead admitted on the floor of the Senate, they’re being used to hold the budget process hostage – even as we approach a government shutdown scenario on July 1, the consequences of which would be unprecedented and disastrous. Leveraging the threat of going over the fiscal cliff to pass an ideological policy agenda is irresponsible; it’s the destructive style of Congressional Republicans in D.C. and it has no place in our Legislature.

“Any policy bills that lack agreement can be worked over interim and taken up again next session – as is always the case. Democrats have policy priorities that did not pass in the regular session either: universal background checks to protect our communities from gun violence, the Reproductive Parity Act to protect a woman’s right to choose, the Dream Act to provide the children of undocumented immigrants the opportunity to attend college, and a ban on unnecessary toxic flame retardants in everyday children’s products. But the Legislature must pass a budget, and Democrats have narrowed our focus to this constitutional obligation.

“Republicans need to focus as well, and they need to compromise. Governor Inslee has urged compromise on the budget. The House has compromised on 71 items in the budget, and has moved ten times the distance that Senate Republicans have moved. Republicans have repeated time and again that their position hasn’t changed since April. This is unacceptable. Today is the final day of the special session. We need movement now so that we may complete our work over the next several days.”

House Republicans say revenue and caseload forecasts prove new taxes not needed (audio)

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 00:07:37 +0000

RADIO BROADCAST FEED TRANSCRIPT

June 18, 2013

CONTACT: John Sattgast, Broadcast Coordinator – (360) 786-7257 / Studio – (360) 786-5046

The attached audio is a supplement to a news release that was sent earlier from Reps. Dan Kristiansen and J.T. Wilcox, the leader and floor leader of the House Republican Caucus respectively. You may view that press release here: http://houserepublicans.wa.gov/news/forecasts-prove-new-taxes-not-needed/

House Republicans say revenue and caseload forecasts prove new taxes not needed

Legislator: Rep. J.T. Wilcox
Date Recorded: June 18, 2013
Run Time: 35 seconds (AUDIO CLIP ONLY)

The state’s revenue forecast today revealed the state could bring in another $231 million more than expected, in addition to the $2 billion more the state will bring in between the 2011-13 budget and the 2013-15 budget. The caseload forecast later revealed $90 million in savings as a result of reduced enrollment in schools, correctional facilities and social services. Rep. J.T. Wilcox, floor leader of the House Republican Caucus, provided the following response:

(Audio voice clip: Wilcox-ForecastReaction-061813.mp3 – Run time :35 seconds - Out cue: . . this biennium’s budget. )

MP3 File

Rep. J.T. Wilcox, R-Yelm: “It certainly helps to make the case that we can do this without additional taxes. The economy is giving us some greater resources. However, the source of the new tax revenue is a little bit worrisome. They are big-ticket items. Housing’s doing well because we have very little inventory on housing, and auto sales are going well. And I think both of those are helped by low-interest rates. However, manufacturing is still relatively slow. So I think we’ve got to be extremely careful with the bow wave that we create with this biennium’s budget.”

Find more audio content on our Web site.

###

Washington State House Republican Communications
www.houserepublicans.wa.gov
451 John L. O’Brien Building – P.O. Box 40600 – Olympia, WA 98504-0600
Broadcast studio: (360) 786-5046

Nealey optimistic increased revenue should pave way for operating budget agreement (audio)

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 23:37:24 +0000

RADIO BROADCAST FEED TRANSCRIPT

June 18, 2013

CONTACT: John Sattgast, Broadcast Coordinator – (360) 786-7257 / Studio – (360) 786-5046

Nealey optimistic increased revenue should pave way for operating budget agreement

Legislator: Rep. Terry Nealey
Date Recorded: June 18, 2013
Run Time: 60 seconds

SUGGESTED LEAD: The path to an agreement on new state operating budget became a little clearer Tuesday following reports that revenue is up and reliance on state services is down. John Sattgast reports from Olympia.

(Voice cut: Nealey-RevenueForecast-SattgastVoicer-061813.mp3 – Run time :60 seconds)

MP3 File

Sattgast: Washington’s Economic and Revenue Forecast Council is projecting an additional 231 million dollars in the next two years. Combined with savings from fewer people relying on government services, it gives budget writers 321 million dollars in additional revenue.

Republican State Representative Terry Nealey from Dayton serves on the council. He said the increased revenue should not be used as an excuse for lawmakers to find more ways to spend money.

(Voice cut: NealeyRevenueForecast-Clip1-061813.mp3 – Run time :16 seconds - Out cue: . . .Rainy Day Fund.)

MP3 File

Nealey: “At least we’re going in the right direction. But we need to be cautious on what we do with that economic forecast. We need to fund education first. However, we also need to be very careful that we don’t spend all of it. I feel very strongly some of it should be reserved or saved, put into the Rainy Day Fund.”

Sattgast: Nealey says total revenue is expected to be up by an extra 2 billion dollars in the next two years. The 16th District lawmaker is hopeful the additional revenue will convince Democrats to abandon tax increase proposals so that a budget agreement can be reached before the end of the fiscal cycle on June 30th.

John Sattgast, Olympia.

Find more audio content on our Web site.

###

Washington State House Republican Communications
www.houserepublicans.wa.gov
451 John L. O’Brien Building – P.O. Box 40600 – Olympia, WA 98504-0600
Broadcast studio: (360) 786-5046

Improving economy, prioritizing education mean no new taxes needed, says Chandler

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 22:36:00 +0000

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 18, 2013

CONTACT: Sarah Stewart, Public Information Officer – (360) 786-7720

Improving economy, prioritizing education mean no new taxes needed, says Chandler

Today the state’s revenue forecast revealed Washington’s tax collections are expected grow an additional $231 million beyond what expected. This means the upcoming 2013-15 budget will bring in $2 billion more, or 6.6 percent growth, from the 2011-13 budget, which ends June 30.

Rep. Bruce Chandler said today’s report means the economy is slowly recovering, and the state’s budget is starting to see the return on those economic improvements. New home building numbers specifically have improved, the highest since the end of 2007.

“This report reflects the idea that an improving economy will directly affect our state’s budget. The best way out of this recession is jobs that allow people to feel confident to buy,” said Chandler, R-Granger. “Our state’s highest source of revenue is sales tax collections. It stands to reason that people with steady jobs will more likely buy products, services and new homes than those who do not.”

The Legislature is currently in the seventh day of a second special session, which began Wednesday, June 12. A 2013-15 budget must be passed by June 30, the end of the 2011-13 two-year budget cycle.

“I am optimistic we can get a budget passed by the end of the month,” Chandler said. “Both sides have shown they are willing to compromise, so hopefully today’s forecast will forge an agreement. I think today’s forecast and the $2 billion more in revenue shows we don’t need new tax increases on hardworking families in Washington. We can and should prioritize education in the budget and not hold our classrooms hostage to a tax increase, as some have proposed. Then we can fund the remaining priorities of the state to protect the most vulnerable and ensure public safety.”

For more information about Rep. Chandler, visit: www.houserepublicans.wa.gov/chandler.

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Rep. Chandler’s media:

Washington State House Republican Communications
www.houserepublicans.wa.gov
455 John L. O’Brien Building
P.O. Box 40600
Olympia, WA 98504-0600

House Republicans say revenue and caseload forecasts prove new taxes not needed

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 22:35:00 +0000

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 18, 2013

CONTACT: John Handy, Communications Director – (360) 786-5758

Sarah Stewart, Public Information Officer – (360) 786-7720

House Republicans say revenue and caseload forecasts prove new taxes not needed

Reps. Dan Kristiansen and J.T. Wilcox, the leader and floor leader of the House Republican Caucus respectively, provided the following responses:

“Today’s revenue and caseload forecasts are good news for our economy. They should also lay to rest the Democrats’ argument that tax increases are needed to balance the operating budget,” said House Republican Leader Dan Kristiansen. “We already had enough revenue to properly fund the priorities of state government – including a greater investment in K-12 education driven by the McCleary decision. The responsible thing to do would be to dedicate this additional revenue to our public schools and budget reserves.”

“The revenue forecast shows us that spending is up on big ticket items, mostly due to low-cost financing, resulting in improved sales tax revenues. While this should make it easier to reach a budget agreement, we must be careful to not create a bow wave for the future. Our manufacturing sector is slow, and with the constant drumbeat of major employers moving operations out of Washington, I am concerned about how this will affect our economy long term,” said Wilcox, R-Yelm. “I remain confident we can adopt a budget that does not hold school children hostage to tax increases and complete our work before the next biennium begins.”

Today is the seventh day of the second special session, which began June 12.

For more information about House Republicans, visit: www.houserepublicans.wa.gov/about-us.

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Rep. Kristiansen’s media:

Rep. Wilcox’s media:

Washington State House Republican Communications
www.houserepublicans.wa.gov
455 John L. O’Brien Building
P.O. Box 40600
Olympia, WA 98504-0600

Rep. Kochmar legislative update: June 18, 2013

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 22:32:00 +0000

Linda Kochmar Home | About Linda | Linda’s Newsroom | Sponsored Bills | 30th Legislative District Map

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

As you are probably aware, last week marked the end of the first special session of 2013. It was frustrating that after an additional 30 days we had no consensus on the state budget. Like you, I was hopeful that by this point we would have found a compromise and voted on a well written budget.

In this newsletter I would like to explain a little of what is happening in Olympia and give you some exciting news about our office! I hope you find the information below helpful and interesting.

If you have any questions about this e-mail update, or about state government in general, please contact me. My goals are to keep our communities safe, make government more efficient, create jobs and improve our quality of life. As always, I welcome your thoughts and opinions.

Sincerely,

Rep. Linda Kochmar
30th Legislative District

THE BUDGET LOGJAM

While from the outside it may not seem like much has been happening in Olympia, I assure you budget negotiations have been going non-stop. There are positive efforts being made. After today, I am even more convinced that a “government shutdown” is not in our future. My colleagues and I, on both sides of the aisle, are determined to find a workable solution.

For the last month in Olympia, the budget discussions stalled over a few of critical questions:

are tax increases needed and should they be considered;
how do we pay for education as instructed by the state Supreme Court; and
should our current budgeting processes include reforms to how we spend citizens tax dollars?

Today, the State Economic and Revenue Forecast Council released another forecast. They stated that there is at least $231 million more than previously expected in projected revenue. This $231 million is in addition to the nearly $2 billion already expected. With more than $2 billion in revenue the Legislature can fund growth and inflation while still putting millions of dollars into education, without new taxes.

I strongly believe the Legislature should neither increase taxes on our hard-working residents, nor fund education last. The Senate has proved that a budget which provides for education, without holding our classrooms hostage to a tax increase, is possible. In the Senate Majority Coalition Caucus press conference today they spoke of getting a budget completed this week. I am very optimistic that we will vote on a budget soon.

AN OVERVIEW OF THE SESSION

Since the regular session ended, I have been asked to give a legislative “wrap-up” at several events. In order to share some of my favorite pictures and significant moments, I’ve created a short presentation. After the events, I’ve been told how much participants enjoyed the photos and highlights. So, I would like to share it with you too. You can view a PowerPoint of my presentation by clicking here.

THE NEW DISTRICT OFFICE

I am very excited to announce the opening of my district office. Please stop by to talk with me and meet my Legislative Assistant, Joe Atkinson, on July 1 from 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. The office is located at 930 South 336th Street, Federal Way, Wash. 98003. We are both looking forward to our new presence in the 30th District.

Even if you cannot participate on July, I strongly encourage you to come by any time you have questions or need help with state government. This office will ensure that my staff and I are available to meet with you even when you cannot make the trip to Olympia. I am here to be a resource for you and I look forward to seeing you at the district office!

In closing, should you have any questions about the open house please call or e-mail me at the number and address below. And, feel free to pass this e-mail along to others who may be interested. You can sign up for my e-mail updates by clicking here.

State Representative Linda Kochmar
30th Legislative District

E-mail: linda.kochmar@leg.wa.gov
Web site: www.houserepublicans.wa.gov/kochmar

122F Legislative Building – P.O. Box 40600 | Olympia, WA 98504-0600
(360) 786-7964 or Toll-free: (800) 562-6000

Dahlquist reacts to today’s positive state tax collections report

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 22:08:00 +0000

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 18, 2013

CONTACT: Bobbi Cussins, Public Information Officer – (360) 786-7252

Dahlquist reacts to today’s positive state tax collections report

The state Economic and Revenue Forecast Council released the quarterly report on state tax collections today. The report revealed a $231 million uptick in tax collections that may bridge the gap in the current state operating budget negotiations. Forecasted revenue for the 2013-15 budget cycle is $32.6 billion, up $2 billion from the $30.6 billion 2011-13 budget that ends June 30. The House Republican lead on education issues, Rep. Cathy Dahlquist, R-Enumclaw, offered the following statement after hearing today’s news:

“Today’s revenue forecast is good news all around for Washingtonians because we have been holding out for an economic recovery, even a modest one. There has been a lot of talk about tax increases by the governor and Democrats in Olympia to further expand state government. Despite their claims the new taxes would go to K-12 education, today’s news only strengthens my belief that new and higher taxes are not necessary. We need to let this fragile recovery take hold and that is how we will increase tax collections to the state.

“We all know, and the state Supreme Court affirmed in the McCleary ruling, we should be funding education first in the state operating budget and not funding everything else first then relying on tax hikes to live up to our state’s ‘paramount duty’ to K-12 education. The slight rise in tax collections from what was projected earlier means we can put more toward education and the reforms required under the McCleary court ruling. To be clear, the McCleary decision is not just about more money into the same education system – it requires the Legislature enact reforms that improve student outcomes and close the opportunity gap for at-risk students.

“I believe taxpayers would agree that asking them for more from their paychecks right now is the wrong direction. With tax collections growing by $2 billion dollars, the state has ample tax dollars to pay for schools, including McCleary enhancements, take care of our most vulnerable and bolster public safety. I look forward to seeing how today’s report moves the needle on the budget negotiations and encourage the governor and Democrats to end the discussion of tax increases and follow through with an education-first budget that does not hold kids hostage to new and higher taxes.”

For more information about Rep. Dahlquist, visit: www.houserepublicans.wa.gov/dahlquist.

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Rep. Dahlquist’s media:

Washington State House Republican Communications
www.houserepublicans.wa.gov
455 John L. O’Brien Building
P.O. Box 40600
Olympia, WA 98504-0600

06-18-13: E-mail update from Rep. Dan Kristiansen – State revenue forecast shows our economy is improving

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 21:37:00 +0000

Dan Kristiansen Home | About Dan | Dan’s Newsroom | Sponsored Bills | 39th Legislative District Map

Dear Friends and Neighbors:

As budget negotiations continue, we received some good news today from the Economic and Revenue Forecast Council. The council released our state’s latest revenue forecast for the 2011-13, 2013-15 and 2015-17 budget cycles. This is a detailed report on our state’s economic performance and its projected impact on tax collections – also known as revenue. This revenue is used to funds our public schools, prisons, state agencies and other programs and services.

The revenue forecast showed our state plans to take in an additional $121 million in tax collections in the 2013-15 budget cycle, and an additional $110 million for the current budget cycle (2011-13). This means state lawmakers have an extra $231 million as they finalize the 2013-15 operating budget – the main issue yet to be resolved in the second special session. Please also keep in mind this is on top of the $2 billion more in revenue our state already plans to collect compared to the 2011-13 budget cycle.

Another state report, the caseload forecast, was also released today. It revealed significant state savings as a result of reduced enrollment in public schools, correctional facilities and social services. This is also a good sign and relieves financial pressures on the next operating budget. It also means the Legislature will have $90 million in revenue that it can re-appropriate for the 2013-15 budget cycle.

Moving forward with a sustainable operating budget, creating jobs

What does this mean moving forward? First, it should finally lay to rest any argument that our state needs tax increases to balance the operating budget. We have enough revenue to properly fund the priorities of government – including a greater investment in K-12 education to meet the expectations of our state Supreme Court’s McCleary decision. We should take this extra revenue and dedicate it to our public schools and state reserves.

Secondly and more importantly, the revenue forecast shows our state’s economic recovery continues – though not as quickly as anyone would like. While it’s easy to get wrapped up in the statistics, it’s really about people. There are still too many folks who are out of work, underemployed or fearful they could lose their jobs. Let’s hope today’s news is an indicator our state’s unemployment rate will continue to go down. We know King (4.4 percent) and Snohomish (4.9 percent) counties are heading in the right direction, but counties like Skagit (8.3 percent) continue to lag behind. We need an economic recovery for the whole state. You can find county unemployment rates here.

While sectors of our economy are improving, state lawmakers should still be considering reforms that would strengthen our economy and create jobs. We should always be looking at ways to improve our state’s business climate to attract new employers and encourage existing ones to hire. Not enough attention has been paid to this issue this year.

Here are also some highlights from the June Economic and Revenue Update last Tuesday:

May consumer confidence returned to pre-recession levels.
Inflation in the Seattle metropolitan area remained moderate in early 2013.
Housing and construction are improving, but aerospace employment is declining.
The state’s unemployment rate went from 7.5 percent in February, to 7.3 percent in March, to 7 percent in April.

The revenue and caseload forecasts should help state lawmakers as they finalize the operating and capital budgets. I’m optimistic the Legislature can wrap up its business in the next week or so. I look forward to providing you an update when this happens.

In your service,

Dan Kristiansen
State Representative
39th Legislative District

State Representative Dan Kristiansen
39th Legislative District

Web site: www.houserepublicans.wa.gov/kristiansen

335C Legislative Building – P.O. Box 40600 | Olympia, WA 98504-0600
(360) 786-7967 or Toll-free: (800) 562-6000

Revenue forecast up by $110 million for 2011-13, $121 million for 2013-15; Nealey says avoid unnecessary tax increases

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 17:00:00 +0000

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 18, 2013

CONTACT: John Sattgast, Senior Information Officer/Broadcast Coordinator – (360) 786-7257

Revenue forecast up by $110 million for 2011-13, $121 million for 2013-15; Nealey says avoid unnecessary tax increases

The Washington State Economic and Revenue Forecast Council today released its quarterly revenue forecast for the 2011-13, 2013-15 and 2015-17 budget cycles. The council is projecting a $110 million increase in revenue for 2011-13, a $121 million increase for 2013-15, and a $51 million increase for 2015-17. This means state lawmakers will have an additional $231 million in revenue as they consider the 2013-15 operating budget and the 2011-13 supplemental operating budget.

Forecasted revenue for the 2011-13 biennium which ends June 30 is $30.646 billion. It is $32.662 billion for the 2013-15 biennium and $35.357 billion for the 2015-17 biennium.

Rep. Terry Nealey, R-Dayton, who serves on the state’s Economic and Revenue Forecast Council, issued the following statement:

“I’m encouraged by the forecast and pleased the economy is gradually improving. Now is not the time to be making any rash decisions that would harm this recovery – and that includes elimination of tax incentives which keep people working and producing revenue. We need to do what we can to encourage this economy to create more private-sector jobs.

“Let’s also be clear: Just because the revenue projection is up doesn’t mean the Legislature should be trying to find more ways to spend it on new programs. Let’s take care of funding education first and then make sure we have a responsible reserve to be prepared for any further downturns in the state’s fragile economy.

“This bump in revenue weakens arguments for tax increases because an extra two-billion dollars is anticipated in the next budget cycle. Hopefully, this forecast will help break the logjam in budget negotiations and bring lawmakers closer together toward adopting a two-year operating budget – one that sets spending in line with projected revenue, and meets the educational requirements of the state Supreme Court’s McCleary Decision.”

For more information about Rep. Nealey, visit: www.houserepublicans.wa.gov/nealey.

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Rep. Nealey’s media:

Washington State House Republican Communications
www.houserepublicans.wa.gov
455 John L. O’Brien Building
P.O. Box 40600
Olympia, WA 98504-0600