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Legislative leaders cite town halls, warn federal moves could shape state budget as revenue forecast is released
Summary
Speaker Laurie Jenkins and Senate leaders told reporters that high town-hall turnout put pressure on lawmakers to avoid deep cuts, previewed a revenue forecast due later that day and confirmed both chambers will release budgets on the 24th.
Laurie Jenkins, Speaker of the House, told reporters that weekend town halls showed strong public concern about federal policy actions and state budget choices. "We had nearly 500 people at our town hall meeting in Tacoma," Jenkins said, and added that constituents urged the legislature not to adopt an "all cuts" budget and to consider progressive revenue to preserve vital programs.
Senator Petersen echoed those observations, saying town halls across districts reflected similar priorities. Petersen said one early component of the revenue forecast — actual tax collections in February — "were up more than $50,000,000 over ... what they expected," and noted January collections were also higher than anticipated. Both leaders said the House and Senate plan to release operating and transportation budgets on Monday the 24th, with capital likely to follow the next week.
Lawmakers framed their approach as a balance between acknowledging present revenue and guarding against national risks. Jenkins warned that federal actions are the primary driver of uncertainty in the state's forecast and used a public-health analogy to describe use of reserves: "The rainy day fund is there, and it's named the rainy day fund for when it's raining. It's raining." She said the state must act on the current problem rather than waiting for a worse disaster to justify action.
Both chambers and the governor’s office, lawmakers said, are in communication ahead of budget release but many procedural votes remain: Jenkins noted the need for the required votes in ways and means and on the floor before a final revenue plan is adopted. Lawmakers also said they plan budget decisions over a four-year horizon and will take Economic Revenue Forecast Council inputs into account.
The next procedural steps are the revenue forecast release later that day and the scheduled budget releases on the 24th; final differences will be handled through floor debate and, if necessary, conference negotiations before sine die on the 27th.
