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Jmercier

House Democrat budget relies on $405 million gimmick

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

The prospects of avoiding a 2012 Special Session to balance the budget will likely hinge on the Senate's appetite for budget gimmicks or the House's willingness to back down from its proposal to kick $405 million of K-12 school payments down the road into the next budget.

House GOP releases budget proposal

Friday, February 17, 2012

Budget writers for the House Republicans released the first legislative budget proposal of the 2012 Session today (Day 40). Though a copy of the actual budget bill is not available yet here are some of the details according to a GOP release:

Our $1.6 billion budget solution includes:

Odds of on-time session improve

Thursday, February 16, 2012

For the first time since lawmakers adjourned the "budget balancing" special session last December without actually balancing the budget, there is a glimmer of hope that they'll be able to get the job done during the remaining 21 days of the 2012 Regular Session.

Is the House considering "felony" budget gimmicks to balance the budget?

Friday, February 10, 2012

It's been 107 days since the Governor called last December's special session declaring "timely legislative action is needed to secure the State’s fiscal health and address the shortfall in the 2011-2013 operating budget."

Six-year balanced budget and outlook requirements move to floor votes

Wednesday, February 08, 2012

The House and Senate Ways and Means Committee have advanced two bills to help policy makers focus on the long-term impact of budget decisions.

1 minute to testify on changes to the public records act

Tuesday, February 07, 2012

Does the Legislature really want to hear from citizens on changes to the landmark public records act voters adopted in 1972? Based on the treatment of SB 6576 (Allowing school districts to charge for the reasonable costs of responding to public records requests) one is left to wonder.

Six-year budget outlook requirement heard in the House

Thursday, February 02, 2012

The House Ways and Means Committee heard public testimony yesterday on HB 2607: Requiring a six-year budget outlook tied to existing revenues. Regularly publishing a multi-year budget outlook is one of the many recommendations in WPC's Policy Guide for Washington State.

Executive session taping bill receives public hearing

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

The Senate Committee on Government Operations heard public testimony today on SB 6109: Exempting video and audio recordings of closed executive session meetings from public inspection and copying. SB 6109 reflects a new strategy by the Attorney General and State Auditor to ensure that executive sessions aren't being misused in violations of the state's Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA).

DOR requests 5 year sunsets for new tax preferences

Friday, January 27, 2012

The state Department of Revenue (DOR) is requesting legislation that would automatically sunset any new, extended, or amended tax preference after 5 years. DOR's request bill (HB 2530) is scheduled for a public hearing at 3:30 on Monday.

According to DOR:

Remember the budget deficit?

Thursday, January 26, 2012

As we conclude the 18th day of the 2012 REGULAR Session, the lack of legislative urgency to solve the state's billion dollar plus deficit grows more troubling with each passing day. It's been 92 days since the Governor called last December's special session declaring "timely legislative action is needed to secure the State’s fiscal health and address the shortfall in the 2011-2013 operating budget."

State argues 18-year-old 2/3 vote requirement for taxes is constitutional

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Acting on behalf of the state the Attorney General's Office has once again argued the 1993 voter-approved requirement for a 2/3 vote to raise taxes is constitutional (policy has been subsequently re-approved by the voters and legislature on multiple occasions). 

Here are some pull quotes from the state's motion for summary judgment in the most recent legal challenge:

State Auditor sheds light on local government finances

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

State Auditor Brian Sonntag launched a new website today that allows citizens to quickly find data on local government finances. Here is a summary of the new resource:

Welcome to the new Local Government Finance Reporting System (LGFRS).  This site is designed to mirror the annual report data submitted to the State Auditor’s Office by local governments.  It includes unaudited data for all local governments . . .

House committee passes LEAN management bill

Monday, January 16, 2012

Neither ice nor snow could slow down efforts to improve agency efficiency today as the House State Government Committee adopted by a vote of 11-0 an amended version of HB 2173: Maximizing the use of lean strategies in state government.

Here is a memo describing the changes from the original bill:

Gregoire files legal brief in 2/3 vote for taxes lawsuit

Friday, January 13, 2012

Last year several House Democrats joined the Washington Education Association (WEA) and the League of Education Voters to file a lawsuit to overturn the four-time voter approved 2/3 vote requirement for tax increases.

Today Governor Gregoire filed a legal brief urging the Court to rule on this issue. From her brief (in-part)

History of tax ballot measures in WA since 1932

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

If history is any guide, lawmakers intent on going to the ballot with a tax increase proposal will face more problems than simply trying to fit their proposal on the election calendar.

With the exception of targeted sin taxes in 2001, 1994 and a 911 tax in 1991, voters haven't been kind to tax increases proposals on the ballot.