House budget focuses on basics, bottom line

February 20, 2008

OLYMPIA – In spite of revenue and caseload forecasts that shot a $522 million hole in the state’s finances, Rep. Helen Sommers rolled out a supplemental budget today that addresses Washington’s most immediate concerns while maintaining a $750 billion reserve.

“The investments we made in the 2007–09 biennial budget put us on a strong footing,” said Sommers, chair of the House Appropriations Committee. “We concentrated on our priorities: improving our education system at every level, creating a strong economy, and ensuring that more Washingtonians – especially our children – have access to high-quality, affordable health care.”

“With this supplemental budget, we are taking care of immediate concerns and putting aside a healthy reserve for the next biennium,” said House Majority Leader Lynn Kessler. “We combined a handful of necessary enhancements with some strategic cuts and crafted a prudent, forward-looking proposal.”

The House budget proposes spending $287 million above last year’s level, most of which is for mandatory expenses—increased numbers of students, debt service, voter-approved teachers’ COLA, and backfilling federal cuts.

“We also make some nips and tucks,” said Rep. Hans Dunshee, vice-chair of the Appropriations Committee.  “Public safety, foster care, long-term care, and climate change were priorities for us.”           

“For the past several years, we have carefully put aside funds in case of a downturn in the economy – just like a family would.” said Kessler.  “We took a $2.2 billion shortfall in 2005 and steadily built it back to a $1.4 billion surplus.  So, yes, we have to be very judicious in our investing this year, but we are in a far better place than we would have been without the historic levels of savings we’ve maintained.”

Related Links:
House Operating Supplemental Budget Highlights

Supplemental Operating Budget Framework