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Joint finance panel adopts $6.4 billion general fund revenue estimate for FY2026 over some members' objections
Summary
The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee adopted the Economic Outlook and Revenue Assessment Committee's recommended FY2026 general fund revenue number of $6.4 billion after debate and a recorded roll call; some members said the timing of adopting a revenue number before final tax and spending decisions is wrong.
The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee voted to adopt a general fund revenue estimate of $6,400,000,000 for fiscal year 2026, the figure recommended by the Economic Outlook and Revenue Assessment Committee.
Committee staff explained the recommendation at the meeting. The Economic Outlook Committees median suggested the $6.4 billion number, which the presenter said largely agreed with the governors baseline forecast but is higher than the administrations median projection that the presenter showed on the committee handout.
During floor discussion, Senator Wintrow noted preliminary revenue reports showing collections lagging the forecast: "these are the numbers then that the committee had prior to the session and don't include some of the preliminary revenue projections we've already received that show us lagging behind in some of our revenue," she said. Committee staff replied that while actual collections are running slightly behind the forecast, general fund revenues were still projected to grow about 2.9% over the previous year and that April and June remain the largest revenue months.
Senator Janie Ward Engleking announced she would vote against adopting the number, saying she prefers setting the revenue baseline earlier in the session before making tax or spending decisions: "I will be voting no on this because I think this is the wrong way to do our budgets," she said.
The motion passed on a roll call. The clerk recorded a total of 16 ayes, 2 nays, and 2 absent/excused across the two chambers, with the committee adopting the $6.4 billion revenue production for FY2026.
Ending: The committees adopted revenue number will be used in further budget deliberations; members flagged ongoing revenue-monitoring and disagreement about timing.
