Balanced budget, anyone?

Published 4:51 pm Thursday, March 15, 2012

The Washington state Senate took a step earlier in the legislative session that can stop the ongoing budget crisis engulfing our state. It has proposed a constitutional amendment that would mandate the Legislature pass a balanced budget.

Such a constitutional decree would prohibit the Legislature from actions that would create a future shortfall.

The measure didn’t find much favor in the House and we don’t think it will become part of this year’s budget solution.

What a pity.

Though many people might think a balanced budget is required in this state, it’s not.

True, the governor must propose a balanced budget. However, there’s no requirement for the Legislature to do this. A constitutional requirement would close this loophole.

If, by some strange happenstance, it were to be approved, the balanced budget requirement would kick in starting in 2014. A key element would be that the Legislature no longer would be able to write a budget that creates a shortfall in the following biennial budget. The state’s rainy-day fund still could be used to balance a budget if a recession occurred.

We still hope, but we’re not holding our breath.

– Craig Groshart, Bellevue Reporter