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Committee fails to reach agreement on FY2026 revenue projection; action postponed
Summary
Committee members considered competing FY2026 general fund projections but did not adopt a number after voting on a substitute ($6.33 billion) and the original motion (EORAC $6.4 billion); neither motion achieved the committee's required cross-caucus majorities, so the decision was postponed.
The Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee debated competing revenue baselines for fiscal year 2026 but did not adopt a figure Friday after substitute and original motions failed to secure the committee's required majorities in both the Senate and House caucuses.
Keith Bybee summarized two competing forecasts: the Economic Outlook and Revenue Assessment Committee's recommended FY2026 projection of $6,400,000,000 and the governor's lower recommendation (about $6,261,000,000). Representative Petsky moved to adopt the EORAC's $6.4 billion projection. Senator Woodward submitted a substitute motion to adopt a $6,330,000,000 projection as a compromise.
Committee debate focused on conservatism versus optimism in revenue forecasting. Several members described the substitute as a compromise between the EORAC and the governor's numbers; others argued to accept the committee's original recommendation. The substitute motion failed on the floor tally reported by the clerk as a grand total of 8 ayes and 12 nays; the committee then voted on the original motion, which likewise failed to secure the necessary majority of both caucuses. The chair said the FY2026 decision would be postponed for a later time.
Because the committee requires a majority from both chambers before sending budget-setting items out, members said postponing the FY2026 revenue decision would allow more time to reconcile forecasts before the number is used to set next year's agency budgets.
