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JFAC adopts $6.4 billion FY2026 general fund revenue forecast; divided committee debate yields two nays
Summary
The Joint Finance‑Appropriations Committee voted to adopt the Economic Outlook and Revenue Assessment Committee's recommendation of $6.4 billion in general fund revenues for FY2026. The motion passed with 16 ayes, 2 nays and 2 members absent/excused after a brief floor debate about timing of revenue setting.
The Joint Finance‑Appropriations Committee voted Wednesday to adopt a $6,400,000,000 general fund revenue forecast for fiscal year 2026, following a recommendation from the Economic Outlook and Revenue Assessment Committee.
The recommendation was presented to the committee by a Legislative Services Office analyst as the committee resumed work on the FY2026 budget baseline. The Economic Outlook committee had recommended the $6.4 billion figure; committee staff noted the forecast aligns closely with the governor's projections and that general fund revenues remained higher than the prior year despite some collections lagging the forecast in early months.
Senator Wintrow asked whether the recommendation reflected preliminary revenue collections that had shown a shortfall; an analyst responded that collections for 2025 were running “slightly behind the forecast” but still projected growth over the previous year and emphasized that April and June are large revenue months. Senator Janie Ward Engleking said she would vote no, arguing the revenue projection should be set earlier in the session and that the committee was setting tax reductions and spending before locking a revenue baseline. “I will be voting no on this because I think this is the wrong way to do our budgets,” she said.
Committee leadership defended the timing, with the co‑chair saying the $6.4 billion number “allows us to maintain essential and necessary services of government while returning as much money as possible … to the taxpayers.” The motion to adopt the Economic Outlook and Revenue Assessment Committee's recommended $6.4 billion was seconded by Senator Galloway.
The roll call produced 16 ayes, 2 nays and 2 members absent and excused, a majority in both chambers, and the committee moved on to consideration of other budget items.
Because the adopted revenue baseline is used to set spending ceilings and evaluate proposed tax changes, the committee's adoption of $6.4 billion establishes the number legislators will use for subsequent FY2026 budget and tax decisions.
