The state Economic and Revenue Forecast council met this morning and the news was not good. The forecast shows another revenue reduction of over $550 million for the remainder of this biennium and the next — that makes the total budget shortfall around $9 billion. Some of that gap will be filled by federal stimulus help and other steps that have been taken to reduce spending, but lawmakers are still looking at a budget hole of around $4 billion. Here is a link to the Seattle Times coverage, and the press release issued by the council. More on this as it develops.