Governor in D.C. to pitch Congress for more funds

Governor Gregoire is holding a press conference with several other governors today in Washington D.C. to ask Congress to provide states with additional Medicaid funds (FMAP). Along with about 30 other states, Washington assumed an additional $480 million in FMAP funds to help balance the budget this year. This is more than the $253 million ending fund balance meaning if the funds aren't approved the state's ending fund balance would be negative by more than $200 million. For the third time last week the U.S. Senate rejected a bill with the FMAP funds. Last month the House removed the FMAP funds from the bill sent to the Senate . . . READ MORE

Longview Daily News calls for more legislative transparency

The Longview Daily News has called on the Legislature to follow our recommendations to improve legislative transparency. From the editorial: "A report released this month by the Washington Policy Center (WPC) correctly takes the Legislature to task for violating the fundamental tenets of transparency. The report, authored by Jason Mercier, director of WPC's Center for Government Reform, lists a number of  'transparency abuses' . . . READ MORE

Strike three for FMAP

Looks like it is time to dust off the state's budget reductions options. For a third time the U.S. Senate has failed to move the bill states are counting on for billions in FMAP (Medicaid) funds. The state assumed an additional $480 million in FMAP funds to help balance the budget this year. This is more than the $253 million ending fund balance meaning if the funds aren't approved the state's ending fund balance would be negative by more than $200 million. It is unclear if Senate leadership will bring the bill back up for a fourth vote . . . READ MORE

Governor creates Fiscal Responsibility and Reform Panel

Facing a projected $3 billion budget gap for 2011-13, Governor Gregoire announced today she is calling executive budget hearings over the summer to help guide the budget she proposes. The Governor has invited Washington Policy Center to join her fiscal responsibility and reform panel to assist this effort. The goal is to help the Governor answer these questions “about every program in state government . . . READ MORE

Lawmakers explore FMAP options

With Congressional approval of additional FMAP (Medicaid) funds still in question, the state House Ways and Means Committee met today to explore the options available to balance the budget if the funds aren't approved. The state assumed an additional $480 million in FMAP funds to help balance the budget this year. This is more than the $253 million ending fund balance meaning if the funds aren't approved the state's ending fund balance would be negative by more than $200 million. According to a staff presentation the options are . . . READ MORE

State's curious legal strategy on Canadian sales tax deduction

The Washington State Wire is reporting an odd legal strategy the Department of Revenue is considering to help northern Washington communities avoid giving Canadians a sales tax deduction. The strategy: We'll help you sue us. According to the article . . . READ MORE

Now the real budget work begins

Today's state revenue forecast shows the state is even more at the mercy of Congress than before to approve a state budget bailout as well as facing at least a $3 billion budget gap for 2011-13. Though revenues are projected to increase in 2011-13, they are down $203 million for this biennium. This means the state's new ending fund balance of $253 million is less than the $480 million in one-time federal Medicaid funds assumed to help balance the budget . . . READ MORE

State budget bailout on the ropes

Despite intense lobbying from President Obama and Governor Gregoire, the U.S. Senate has rejected an effort to increase one-time federal Medicaid funds that states across the nation gambled would be approved. As reported by Open Congress . . . READ MORE

Everett Herald calls for more legislative transparency

The Everett Herald today called on the Legislature to follow our recommendations to improve legislative transparency. From the editorial: " If it’s true, as state Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown opined, that the Legislature now does its business more transparently than it used to, then we offer a corollary: When it comes to keeping secrets, lawmakers of the past had nothing on the CIA . . ." READ MORE

Seattle Times endorses WPC's legislative transparency reform recommendations

The Seattle Times today called on the Legislature to follow our recommendations to improve legislative transparency. From the editorial: "The Seattle-based Washington Policy Center has a common-sense proposal to prohibit several practices used by legislators to ram through bills in a hurry. These practices were much in evidence in the recent session . . ." READ MORE

Judge removes "job creation" from R-52 ballot title

Thurston County Superior Court Judge Carol Murphy issued a ruling today in the Association of Washington Business (AWB) challenge to R-52's (bonds bill) ballot title.  Opening the hearing Judge Murphy said, “This is a unique case even in the world of ballot titles.” Murphy was clearly skeptical of including the claim of job creation in the ballot title . . . READ MORE

All sides agree: Change R-52's ballot title

Tomorrow morning a ballot title challenge to R-52 ($505 million bonds bill) will be heard in Thurston County Superior Court. Based on the legal fillings, I put the chances of the judge changing the Legislature's proposed ballot title at 100%. What the change will be is a different story. First some background. Per HB 2561, the current ballot title reads . . . READ MORE

OFM asks agencies: Are your activities core services; can they be contracted?

The Office of Financial Management (OFM) released the state's 2011-13 budget instructions yesterday to help focus the information agencies are required to use for their budget requests. Included are details on the "new" budget process the Governor plans to unveil this summer. From OFM's cover memo . . . READ MORE

Olympian calls for more legislative transparency

The Olympian today called on the Legislature to follow our recommendations to improve legislative transparency. From the editorial: In the waning days of the regular legislative session, Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown attempted to justify the indefensible. When questioned on Senate procedures that were squeezing the public out of the lawmaking process, Brown said, "I think our processes are much more transparent than when I entered the Legislature."  Brown is wrong and the proof comes in a recently released report by the Washington Policy Center . . . READ MORE

Columbian endorses WPC's legislative transparency reform recommendations

The Columbian today called on the Legislature to follow our recommendations to improve legislative transparency. From the editorial: "Would you believe that the Legislature on many occasions this year actually was in too big a hurry? That might seem hard to believe, what with the lawmakers needing a long, drawn-out special session to finish their business. But according to a recent news release from the Washington Policy Center, the Democrat-controlled Legislature on numerous occasions this year rushed through decisions that — perhaps intentionally — worked against the principles of a fully informed and participating public . . " READ MORE

This Bud's (now) for the state

Remember the Budweiser commercials with the frogs croaking the slogan: Bud-Weis-Er? As of yesterday they are croaking a new tune in Washington: Tax-You-More. To help remind their customers that the Legislature raised taxes on beer this year and they were running out of time to purchase at pre-tax increases prices, Budweiser ran a full page color ad in the Seattle Times on Friday (back page of the Sports section). The ad read . . . READ MORE

2010 Session marked by secrecy

Lawmakers faced many critical decisions during the 2010 Legislative Session. None were more important than how to close a $2.8 billion budget deficit and the majority’s decision to raise nearly $800 million in taxes. Decisions of this magnitude should have been made in the light of day and with full public involvement. Instead the 2010 Legislative Session was plagued with numerous transparency transgressions which hindered citizens’ ability to participate . . . READ MORE