Oregon Public Broadcasting

Washington state’s tax coffers just took another hit. The latest revenue forecast -- out Thursday -- anticipates tax collections will drop an additional half-billion dollars over the next two years.

That leaves the state with about a $200 million shortfall. But Republican State Senator Joe Zarelli anticipates that number will grow.

Joe Zarelli: “We have the caseload forecast that we’ll be seeing soon and we expect a couple hundred million dollars more there that we have to cover so I think technically once we get all that data in we’re not only down 194-million but maybe 3 or 4 hundred million.”

The caseload forecast anticipates how many people will need state services. It’s a number that’s rising because of the state of the down economy.

Governor Chris Gregoire, a Democrat, says she will immediately order another round of cuts in an effort to keep Washington in the black.