State budget forecast $572 million lower than expected

Published 12:39 pm Thursday, June 16, 2011

OLYMPIA – Washington’s chief economist and state budget writers today delivered a sobering forecast for another plunge in tax collections.

Officials predicted the state will take in $572 million less in tax receipts than lawmakers and Gov. Chris Gregoire counted on when they crafted the budget that she signed Wednesday.

After subtracting that sum, it will leave just $163 million in reserves in the spending plan for the two-year period beginning July 1.