Sen. Schoesler statement on September state revenue forecast

September 17, 2009

OLYMPIA…Sen. Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, a member of the Senate Ways and Means Committee, issued this statement regarding the state’s third revenue forecast of 2009, adopted at the Capitol today: 

“I’m reminded again of how the majority party tried to put lipstick on its budget by emphasizing how much was being left in reserve, instead of giving the taxpayers of Washington what they needed – a budget that did more to bring state spending down to a level that is affordable and can withstand these continued drops in revenue. Every dime in the much-talked-about reserve, outside of the voter-approved rainy day fund, disappeared as of the June revenue forecast. Today’s drop of another 238 million dollars obviously puts Olympia into a deeper hole.  

“We have a two-year budget that is less than three months along and already it is about 765 million dollars out of balance, not counting the rainy-day fund. It didn’t have to be this way. Whether a special legislative session will be needed to make adjustments before the 2010 session probably hinges on the next revenue forecast, in November. Either way, I hope the next legislative session is about closing the budget gap through efficiencies, without more efforts to raise taxes like we saw this year. 

“The governor is again looking to Washington, D.C. for more federal bailout dollars. Considering how the legislators from her party ignored her call for reform, and passed a budget that spent more than she had proposed, maybe that’s the path of least resistance. However, we shouldn’t want to put ongoing programs such as K-12 education and health care at risk of becoming addicted to money from the other Washington. Senate Republicans and the state auditor have identified billions of dollars in reform-based savings, and we would be better off pursuing those than a second ‘fix’ from the feds.” 

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Additional contact: Eric Campbell
at (360) 786-7503 or campbell.eric@leg.wa.gov