Where does state money come from, and how does the government decide how to spend it? In this episode of Civics 101 in 120 Seconds (ish), Mike Hoover breaks down the basics of Washington State’s budgeting process and explains why the legislature’s most important constitutional responsibility is passing a balanced budget.
Viewers learn that Washington does not just have one budget — it has three. Mike walks through the operating budget, capital budget, and transportation budget, explaining how each one funds different parts of state government, from schools and healthcare to roads, ferries, and construction projects.
The episode also explores how lawmakers forecast revenue and spending needs using economic and caseload forecasts, why state budgets are planned in two-year cycles called bienniums, and how budgeting involves balancing public needs with available revenue.