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Washington state budget (2011-2012): Difference between revisions

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{{tnr}}The state's capital budget as originally enacted can be found [https://web.archive.org/web/2/http://apps.leg.wa.gov/documents/billdocs/2011-12/Pdf/Bills/Session%20Law%202011/1497-S.SL.pdf here]. The transportation budget as originally enacted can be found [https://web.archive.org/web/2/http://apps.leg.wa.gov/documents/billdocs/2011-12/Pdf/Bills/Session%20Law%202011/1175-S.SL.pdf here].
{{Archive budget timestamp|Year=2012}}{{tnr}}The state's capital budget as originally enacted can be found [https://web.archive.org/web/2/http://apps.leg.wa.gov/documents/billdocs/2011-12/Pdf/Bills/Session%20Law%202011/1497-S.SL.pdf here]. The transportation budget as originally enacted can be found [https://web.archive.org/web/2/http://apps.leg.wa.gov/documents/billdocs/2011-12/Pdf/Bills/Session%20Law%202011/1175-S.SL.pdf here].


==Special Session May 2011==
==Special Session May 2011==
The legislature did not pass a budget in the 105-day regular session and began a its first, month-long special session of the year to finish the budget on April 26, 2011. On May 23, 2011, two days before the end of the special session, legislative leaders announced a tentative deal to close a $5.1 billion budget shortfall.<ref>[http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2015130666_legislature24m.html ''The Seattle Times'', "State budget OK still in doubt | Legislature 2011," May 23, 2011]</ref> The compromise deal included cuts in nearly every corner of government, a 1.9 percent cut for teacher pay and a three percent cut for other K-12 employees to save $179 million. It also cut three percent in state employee salaries through unpaid leave that would save an additional $177 million.<ref>[http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2015134865_apwaxgrbudget2ndldwritethru.html ''The Seattle Times'', "Wash. budget deal includes teacher salary cuts," May 24, 2011]</ref>  Both chambers of the legislature approved the budget on May 25, 2011.<ref name=passes>[http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2015149811_legislature26m.html ''The Seattle Times'', "Bipartisan state budget passes," May 25, 2011]</ref>
The legislature did not pass a budget in the 105-day regular session and began its first month-long special session of the year to finish the budget on April 26, 2011. On May 23, 2011, two days before the end of the special session, legislative leaders announced a tentative deal to close a $5.1 billion budget shortfall.<ref>[http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2015130666_legislature24m.html ''The Seattle Times'', "State budget OK still in doubt | Legislature 2011," May 23, 2011]</ref>Both chambers of the legislature approved the budget on May 25, 2011.<ref name=passes>[http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2015149811_legislature26m.html ''The Seattle Times'', "Bipartisan state budget passes," May 25, 2011]</ref>


The two-year, $32 billion budget made $4 billion in cuts to higher education, social services and health care programs.<ref name=passes/>
The two-year, $32 billion budget made $4 billion in cuts to higher education, social services and health care programs.<ref name=passes/>
A tax-amnesty program that permitted companies to pay off back taxes without interest or penalty generated $263 million, $182 million more than expected. The governor and legislative leaders said the tax-amnesty dollars would help lawmakers reach an agreement by the end of the special session. It also meant that lawmakers no longer felt they needed to privatize the state's liquor wholesale-distribution system to generate funds for the state budget.<ref>[http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2014950674_politicsnw04m.html ''The Seattle Times'', "Tax-amnesty program raises hopes of a budget deal," May 3, 2011]</ref>


==Legislative Budget==
==Legislative Budget==
The [[Washington State Senate|Senate]] on April 18, 2011, approved its proposed two-year state budget that reduced spending by $4.8 billion and cut funding for K-12 education in an attempt to fill the $5.1 billion deficit.<ref>[http://www.thenewstribune.com/2011/04/19/1631606/senate-approves-state-budget.html#ixzz1K1QGGBjA ''The News Tribune'', "Senate approves state budget," April 19, 2011]</ref> The Senate plan reduced K-12 education funding by $250 million, which budget writers assumed would come from a three percent wage cut for teachers. It also cuts $95 million from school districts based on class attendance.<ref>[http://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Gregoire-opposes-Senate-plan-to-cut-education-1336212.php#ixzz1JT5MWbcy ''The Spokesman Review'', "Gregoire opposes Senate plan to cut," April 13, 2011]</ref> The Senate budget included more than $450 million in fund transfers.<ref name=advances>[http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9MMQD780.htm ''Businessweek'', "WA Senate advances its 2-year budget, cuts $4.8B," April 19, 2011]</ref> The Basic Health Plan, the state's health care program for the poor, lost $122 million. In addition, the Senate's plan also halted automatic increases to state employee retirement plans to save $361 million.<ref name=advances/>
The [[Washington State Senate|Senate]] on April 18, 2011, approved its proposed two-year state budget that reduced spending by $4.8 billion to fill the $5.1 billion deficit.<ref>[http://www.thenewstribune.com/2011/04/19/1631606/senate-approves-state-budget.html#ixzz1K1QGGBjA ''The News Tribune'', "Senate approves state budget," April 19, 2011]</ref>The Senate budget included more than $450 million in fund transfers.<ref name=advances>[http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9MMQD780.htm ''Businessweek'', "WA Senate advances its 2-year budget, cuts $4.8B," April 19, 2011]</ref>The House budget reduced spending by $4.4 billion.<ref name=advances/>
 
The House budget reduced spending by $4.4 billion.<ref name=advances/> It cut higher education by $482 million. It also cut state support for higher education to the amount spent 20 years ago, when there were 32,000 fewer students at the six four-year colleges. The University of Washington lost $200 million for the 2011-2013 biennium, a 30 percent cut.<ref>[http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9MHGVEG0.htm ''Businessweek'', "Wash. higher ed takes a beating in upcoming budget," April 11, 2011]</ref>


===Capital Budget===
===Capital Budget===
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==Governor's Proposed Budget==
==Governor's Proposed Budget==
Gov. Gregoire proposed a state budget based on a shortfall of nearly $5 billion. It eliminated the arts commission and the state food-assistance program, reduced a number of other health and social-service programs and cut funds for higher education.<ref>[http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2014489191_apwabudgetshortfall1stldwritethru.html ''The Seattle Times'', "Wash. budget shortfall could be worse than thought," March 13, 2011]</ref> The governor also said she intended to consolidate 21 state agencies down to nine to save $22 million.<ref>[http://www.thenewstribune.com/2011/03/06/1572301/consolidation-bills-meet-opposition.html ''The News Tribune'', "Government consolidation bills meet opposition," March 6, 2011]</ref>
Gov. Gregoire proposed a state budget based on a shortfall of nearly $5 billion.<ref>[http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2014489191_apwabudgetshortfall1stldwritethru.html ''The Seattle Times'', "Wash. budget shortfall could be worse than thought," March 13, 2011]</ref><ref>[http://www.thenewstribune.com/2011/03/06/1572301/consolidation-bills-meet-opposition.html ''The News Tribune'', "Government consolidation bills meet opposition," March 6, 2011]</ref>
 
===Education===
The governor proposed spending $13.8 billion on education over the next biennium, an increase over the prior budget, most of which stemmed from the fact that the state was expecting more students. Those funds were about $1 billion short of the level that would keep schools "treading water."
 
Gregoire's budget included increasing funds for school bus transportation, but cutting a bus-replacement fund by an equal amount. She also proposed reducing or eliminating everything from gifted education to bonuses for teachers who earn the prestigious National Board Certification.<ref>[http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2014227029_k12cuts15m.html ''The Seattle Times'', "The Budget Breakdown: State schools brace for deeper cuts: 'No easy choices left,'" February 15, 2011]</ref>


===Spending===
===Spending===
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<small><nowiki>*</nowiki>"Other" includes Other Education, Transportation, Contributions to Retirement Systems and Other Appropriations.</small>
<small><nowiki>*</nowiki>"Other" includes Other Education, Transportation, Contributions to Retirement Systems and Other Appropriations.</small>


==References==
==Footnotes==
{{reflist|2}}
{{reflist|2}}



Latest revision as of 16:54, 8 August 2023

Note: This article was last updated in 2012. Click here for more recent information on state budgets and finances.

The state's capital budget as originally enacted can be found here. The transportation budget as originally enacted can be found here.

Special Session May 2011

The legislature did not pass a budget in the 105-day regular session and began its first month-long special session of the year to finish the budget on April 26, 2011. On May 23, 2011, two days before the end of the special session, legislative leaders announced a tentative deal to close a $5.1 billion budget shortfall.[1]Both chambers of the legislature approved the budget on May 25, 2011.[2]

The two-year, $32 billion budget made $4 billion in cuts to higher education, social services and health care programs.[2]

Legislative Budget

The Senate on April 18, 2011, approved its proposed two-year state budget that reduced spending by $4.8 billion to fill the $5.1 billion deficit.[3]The Senate budget included more than $450 million in fund transfers.[4]The House budget reduced spending by $4.4 billion.[4]

Capital Budget

On April 4, 2011, the House released its $3.13 billion construction budget for the biennium. It included construction grants of $718.5 million for K-12 schools and $626.7 million for projects at colleges and universities. Approximately one-fourth of the capital budget, $831.9 million, was intended for renovation and preservation projects for public agencies, which had the potential to generate over 50,000 new construction jobs in the state.[5]

Governor's Proposed Budget

Gov. Gregoire proposed a state budget based on a shortfall of nearly $5 billion.[6][7]

Spending

The governor's proposed budget expenditures were as follows[8]:

Category Dollars in Millions
Public Schools $13,746
Higher Education 2,677
Social & Health Services 5,768
Healthcare Authority 4,650
Corrections 1,693
Bond Retirement & Interest 1,952
General Government 829
Natural Resources 332
All Other* 477
Total $32,124

*"Other" includes Other Education, Transportation, Contributions to Retirement Systems and Other Appropriations.

Footnotes