Nealey optimistic increased revenue should pave way for operating budget agreement (audio)

Nealey optimistic increased revenue should pave way for operating budget agreement

Legislator:  Rep. Terry Nealey
Date Recorded: June 18, 2013
Run Time:  60 seconds

SUGGESTED LEAD: The path to an agreement on new state operating budget became a little clearer Tuesday following reports that revenue is up and reliance on state services is down. John Sattgast reports from Olympia.

 

(Voice cut: Nealey-RevenueForecast-SattgastVoicer-061813.mp3 – Run time :60 seconds)

MP3 File

Sattgast:  Washington’s Economic and Revenue Forecast Council is projecting an additional 231 million dollars in the next two years. Combined with savings from fewer people relying on government services, it gives budget writers 321 million dollars in additional revenue.

 

Republican State Representative Terry Nealey from Dayton serves on the council. He said the increased revenue should not be used as an excuse for lawmakers to find more ways to spend money.

(Voice cut: NealeyRevenueForecast-Clip1-061813.mp3 – Run time :16 seconds -  Out cue: . . .Rainy Day Fund.)

Nealey: “At least we’re going in the right direction. But we need to be cautious on what we do with that economic forecast.  We need to fund education first. However, we also need to be very careful that we don’t spend all of it. I feel very strongly some of it should be reserved or saved, put into the Rainy Day Fund.”

Sattgast:  Nealey says total revenue is expected to be up by an extra 2 billion dollars in the next two years. The 16th District lawmaker is hopeful the additional revenue will convince Democrats to abandon tax increase proposals so that a budget agreement can be reached before the end of the fiscal cycle on June 30th.

John Sattgast, Olympia.

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