You’ll be able to hear a pin drop at 4:30 Thursday when the State Economic and Revenue Forecast Council meets for a special revenue forecast preview. Recent data showing weak sales tax collections support the widely held belief that the forecast will be lower — meaning lawmakers will have a larger budget gap to fill than earlier projected. At the same time, the state’s share of the economic stimulus package should be clearer. By the end of the week, we should have a much better idea of the overall budget number that lawmakers will need to meet.
There also will be a full slate of hearings. In the House on Tuesday, the Capital Budget Committee will look at the possible use of federal funds for K-12 and Higher Ed construction projects. Also on Tuesday the Education Appropriations Committee will hear from all of the state’s four-year schools and community colleges on the potential effect of budget reductions. On Thursday the Capital Budget Committee will take up a bill dealing with higher education project priorities.
In the Senate on Monday, the Ways and Means Committee will be briefed on higher education budget reductions. On Tuesday, the same committee will hear our request legislation on public works contracting. Wednesday, the Higher Education and Workforce Development Committee will hear faculty perspectives on higher education budget reductions. On Thursday the Health and Long Term Care Committee will take up issues surrounding access to UW Medical databases.
We will also be working to ensure that all of our request legislation advances before the February 25 cutoff. We also will continue to work with lawmakers urging that proposed spending freeze legislation allows enough flexibility for the University to deal with faculty retention and other issues critical to our core mission.
Add to that list the inevitable five or six surprises that crop up and it shapes up to another very full week.