Unemployment in Washington is lower than forecasters had predicted this June, and Idaho appears not to be on track for a deficit anymore, despite slower-than-expected revenue collections.
That's according to two new statewide reports.
Updated data in the most recent evaluation from Washington’s Economic and Revenue Forecast Council shows the state’s job numbers didn’t fall the way the council had expected at the start of the summer.
Revised historical numbers and stronger than predicted growth kept statewide unemployment at 4.5%, where it’s sat for the last several months.
Health services and social assistance job numbers saw the largest increase in the private sector this summer with a gain of 3,600 jobs, while the largest decrease was in administration and support services, which lost 3,900.
An increase of 9,100 local government education jobs led to a 2,000 jump in public sector jobs, but overall, all other federal, state and local government jobs declined over the past three months.
State revenue from Aug. 11 to Sept. 10 is 0.7% higher than expected, at $14.5 million.
Across the state line, Idaho’s revenue collections continue to come in lower than forecasters had predicted.
But a new report from the Idaho Legislative Services Office suggests a budget deficit is no longer on the horizon.
The Office's last report showed Idaho ending the year with an $80 million budget deficit, which the state constitution prohibits. Now the state is projected to finish the year $21.8 million in the black.
The revenue from the first two months of this fiscal year was about $22.6 million—2.8% under predictions from the state Financial Management Division.
In response to lagging revenues, Governor Brad Little last month ordered a temporary 3% budget cut across departments, excluding K-12 public schools.
The shortfall in collections comes after the state legislature and governor passed more than $450 million in tax cuts earlier this year.
