Prospects for a Special Session? - Two Major Uncertainties

Prospects for a Special Session? #1 Two Major Uncertainties One of the primary tasks of the short session of the Legislature is to pass the Supplemental Budget. This budget takes into account the state of the economy, as well as areas that need improvement and/or the need to make cuts. According to House Minority Leader Rep. JT Wilcox, “Due to a strong economy, skyrocketing tax collections and fewer people needing state services, the operating budget has a $2.4 billion surplus — providing budget writers with countless options and enormous flexibility.” And he urged the budget writers not to spend all of that surplus. There are essentially two reasons for that: 1] Spending all of the surplus can result in creating a budget that is unsustainable with future revenues. 2] There were, according to Wilcox, two major uncertainties we needed to consider. First was the “uncertainty around the repercussions Boeing is facing over its grounded 737 MAX.” The loss of that source of tax revenue could have and did significantly reduce tax revenues, not so much from planes as from the money not being spent by laid off employees. Add to that the ripple effect across the economy. Second was the “ unfolding economic damage from the novel coronavirus.” Looking back now, we could certainly have used that 2.4 billion in our fight to control that virus. Unfortunately, the budget writers did not heed Rep. Wilcox’s admonition and spent nearly all of the surplus. And now we are facing the likelihood of a Special Session before January, possibly even before the November election. This isn’t the first time we’ve spent ourselves into a corner and you’d think we’d learn not to do that. ------------ Ken Mortland is a member of WEA-Retired, continuing a long career of activism in WEA/NEA. He is also a life long Republican and a member of Mainstream Republicans of WA Board. https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/state-lawmakers-should-consider-economic-uncertainties-before-spending-budget-surplus/

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