Budget Snapshot

Today marks the beginning of what will hopefully be less than 105 days of the Legislature being in session. The first, second and third topic on the agenda will be the state budget. A combination of past spending decisions and a historic economic downturn has left lawmakers in Olympia facing many difficult choices to reset state spending. Though tax revenues dropped substantially for the 2009-11 budget, they are projected to increase by $4.5 billion for the 2011-13 budget. While this should be cause for celebration, lawmakers for years have been spending more than taxpayers were providing, creating a structural budget gap that now threatens popular programs . . . READ MORE