FAQs
Revenue related questions:
Q. Where do I find how the forecast compares to actual collections?
A. To find how the forecast compares to actual collections:
Each month ERFC publishes the Economic & Revenue Update that includes a Revenue Variance table that compares the current forecast to the actual collections. Actual collection numbers have a two month lag.
Each quarter ERFC publishes the Washington State Economic and Revenue Forecast. Tables in Chapter 3 include Track Record for the…General Fund-State Cash Forecast that provides information on the initial forecast for the biennium, each subsequent update, and percent change from the initial forecast.
Q. You provide alternative (optimistic and pessimistic) revenue forecasts for the current biennium. Are similar forecasts available for future biennia?
A. We include alternatives to the current and subsequent biennia.
Q. Where do I find county level retail sales tax data?
A. http://dor.wa.gov/content/aboutus/statisticsandreports/tid/statisticsrep...
Q. Where do I find non-general fund forecasts, like the Hazardous Substance tax?
A. The Department of Revenue forecasts projected revenues for 41 different state and local tax sources that are collected by the Department of Revenue, the receipts of which are depostited into funds or accounts other than the state general fund. You can access this information at: http://dor.wa.gov/Content/AboutUs/StatisticsAndReports/stats_NonGeneral_...
Cannabis related questions:
Q. Where can I find estimates for how much the state will collect in taxes from recreational marijuana businesses?
A. Information regarding ERFC’s revenue forecast of cannabis sales can be found in Tables 3.18 and 3.19 in the Washington State Economic and Revenue Forecast quarterly publication.
Q. Where can I find information on cannabis sales and activity?
A. The Liquor Control Board has information on recreational marijuana license applicants, enforcement and education data, sales activity and much more. http://lcb.wa.gov/records/frequently-requested-lists
Q. Where can I find more information on I-502 implementation?
A. Visit the following link: http://lcb.wa.gov/records/frequently-requested-lists
Economy related questions:
Q. Do you forecast at the city or county level?
A. We do not do either one. Our forecasts are at the aggregate state level. We do not have reliable municipal or county level data available for distribution.
Q. Where is a good place to get information on cities and counties?
A. Here are some links to go to:
The Office of Financial Management has a page dedicated to information at the local level. Please check out: http://www.ofm.wa.gov/localdata/default.asp
State and local personal income and gross domestic product data can be obtained from the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis: http://www.bea.gov/regional/index.htm
State and local employment, unemployment, and wage data can be obtained from the Washington State Department of Employment Security: https://www.esd.wa.gov/labormarketinfo
Q. Where can I find county level export data?
A. U.S. Department of Commerce has export data by metro area at http://tse.export.gov/metro/ChartDisplay.aspx
Q. Where do I find information on inflation?
A. You can go to the following links:
You can find the U.S. CPI, the price deflator, and the Seattle CPI and Forecasts in Table A4.1 in the Appendix section of the Washington Economic & Revenue Forecast.
For addition inflation indexes please visit: http://www.bls.gov/bls/inflation.htm
Other questions:
Q. How do I get notifications about updates to the forecast, meeting schedules, and publications available?
A. Please sign up for our GovDelivery
Q. Do the economists in your agency provide presentations for community and business events?
A. Yes. Our agency can provide an economist for an economic and revenue update. Our standard presentation includes information on the current U.S. economy, the Washington economy and forecast, and current revenue information and forecast if your audience is interested in that information. However, due to successive budget cuts, the agency did acknowledge that this is a service outside our core mission. In order to continue providing this service to the public, the agency does require reimbursement for the travel costs incurred for your event, and the time that the economist is out of the office for the presentation. Please contact us for more information or send us a request using our online form.
Q. I recently attended a presentation where an economist spoke and would like a copy of the PowerPoint. Where can I find your presentations?
A. Please contact our office for a copy of the presentation. You can reach us at erfc.webmaster@dor.wa.gov.
In some cases we may not be able to provide the slide deck available as some slides contain proprietary data that we are not at liberty to distribute.
Q. Where do I find the documents that are distributed at public meetings?
A. You can find the notebooks from our meetings here.