Potential fiscal impacts of legislation are determined through surveys, data models, review of published reports and online databases, and direct consultation with state and local government officials. Program staff also work closely with local government associations. These organizations include, for example, the Association of Washington Cities, the Washington State Association of Counties, the Washington Association of County Officials, the Washington Association of Prosecuting Attorneys, Washington Defender Association, and the Washington State Association of County Treasurers. 

How to provide input on bill impacts:

If you work with local governments and would like to provide information regarding the revenue or expenditure impacts of a bill, please feel free to contact us.  Data from a variety of different jurisdictions is critical to providing the best representation possible to the legislature of the types of impacts that may occur to different jurisdictions across the state. Not all information we receive is necessarily incorporated into our fiscal notes, but all information pertinent to a note, whether it is background information or fiscal figures, is helpful to providing a more complete and accurate picture of bill impacts to local governments.