The Senate W&M chair’s operating budget proposal would appropriate $52.701 billion in 2019–21 and $59.215 billion in 2021–23 from funds subject to the outlook (NGFO). Those amounts represent increases of 17.9% and 12.4% over the previous biennium, respectively.

However, they do not include the federal relief funds the state has received and will receive. According to the budget documents, the state received $5.843 billion in federal relief that was allocated by the governor via the unanticipated receipts process in CY 2020. On top of that, the Senate proposal would appropriate federal funding from the Dec. 2020 relief bill and the American Rescue Plan Act. Under the Senate proposal, these would increase appropriations by $884.7 million in 2019–21 and $7.576 billion in 2021–23. (This incorporates the federal relief allocations previously adopted by the Legislature in the early action supplemental, ESHB 1368.)

In terms of the NGFO plus federal relief, 2019–21 appropriations under the proposal would increase by 33.0% over 2017–19. 2021–23 appropriations would increase by 12.4% over 2019–21. The chart shows how this level of spending compares to the Great Recession.

If this budget is enacted, real 2021–23 NGFO appropriations (adjusted for inflation) would be 49.1% above their pre-Great Recession peak. Real 2021–23 appropriations from the NGFO plus federal relief funds would be 63.4% above their Great Recession peak.

Real per capita NGFO appropriations in 2021–23 would be 24.7% above their pre-Great Recession peak. Real per capita 2021–23 appropriations from the NGFO plus federal relief funds would be 38.0% above their Great Recession peak.