Republicans say 8 percent revenue growth (about $3 billion “extra”) is enough to fund the budget. Is it?
First, factor in costs just to keep doing what we are doing from last year – more school funding and paying for college costs – things Republicans and Democrats agreed to because we now have to approve a four year balanced budget ($1.4 billion). Second, there are things that must be funded by law – more kids in schools, more people on Medicaid – things agreed to by Republicans and Democrats ($2 billion).
But don’t forget:
Funding the McCleary K-12 court ruling (an additional $550 million to what Senate Republicans suggested); meeting mental health needs and complying with the courts to do so ($82 million); funding a Republican higher ed plan on tuition ($226 million); passing an early supplemental budget for last year’s fires and natural disasters ($66 million); and leaving a workable ending fund balance ($400 million).
That’s $4.72 billion Republicans and Democrats have agreed to at some point. And that doesn’t count I-1351, the teacher class size initiative (which could cost $2 billion).
That $3 billion in new revenue has been spent a few times over already. That’s a deficit. Senate budget writers say we don’t have one, and that’s the only “myth” about our budget situation. Some newspapers like The Daily Olympian are starting to figure this out.