Governor Gregoire Signs Supplemental Operating Budget

Press Release

Gov. Chris Gregoire today signed a supplemental operating budget that maintains funding of critical state programs while reducing spending and implementing new government reform measures.

The 2012 supplemental budget reduces spending in the current biennium to $31.1 billion -- $1.1 billion less than the 2011-13 budget enacted last year.

"Since the start of the Great Recession, we have reduced current and projected spending by more than $11 billion," Gregoire said. "In addition to these reductions, we have dramatically reformed government operations through a wide range of initiatives, including modernizing our pension systems, closing institutions, implementing Lean and consolidating programs to increase efficiency."

The new supplemental budget assumes $120 million in savings resulting from agencies spending less than their appropriations after the 2012 supplemental reductions. These savings come on top of $478 million in spending cuts, fund transfers and new revenue approved by the Legislature during the December 2011 special session.

With the governor's vetoes, the new budget currently projects an ending fund balance of $311 million.

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