Chief
02-21-2008, 07:57 PM
http://www.komotv.com/news/local/15824217.html
OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) - House Democrats on Wednesday unveiled their new spend-and-save budget plan for Washington, responding to a revenue nosedive by scaling back an earlier goal of saving $1 billion.
The House plan would boost the current two-year $33 billion budget by a net of about $287 million and leave $750 million in savings to cope with future economic woes.
Economists say the U.S. is now in a mild recession and the Senate budget panel says the state faces a deficit of $937 million in the upcoming two-year fiscal period.
Gov. Chris Gregoire and the Senate budget chairwoman, Margarita Prentice, D-Renton, quickly lobbied for a higher surplus figure.
"While the state's economy remains strong, it is not immune to slowing national economic trends," the governor said. "With that in mind, I think we must leave a healthier surplus to manage for the future than the House proposed."
Neither she nor Prentice offered a specific suggestion, but Gregoire talked about preserving "a healthy savings."
Again, it's hard to know who to believe on these budget figures...
OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) - House Democrats on Wednesday unveiled their new spend-and-save budget plan for Washington, responding to a revenue nosedive by scaling back an earlier goal of saving $1 billion.
The House plan would boost the current two-year $33 billion budget by a net of about $287 million and leave $750 million in savings to cope with future economic woes.
Economists say the U.S. is now in a mild recession and the Senate budget panel says the state faces a deficit of $937 million in the upcoming two-year fiscal period.
Gov. Chris Gregoire and the Senate budget chairwoman, Margarita Prentice, D-Renton, quickly lobbied for a higher surplus figure.
"While the state's economy remains strong, it is not immune to slowing national economic trends," the governor said. "With that in mind, I think we must leave a healthier surplus to manage for the future than the House proposed."
Neither she nor Prentice offered a specific suggestion, but Gregoire talked about preserving "a healthy savings."
Again, it's hard to know who to believe on these budget figures...