The DOA then estimated that if those two items were taken into account and funded with general purpose funds, the budget shortfall would increase to $2.2 billion.

Budget memos released in November are the first to take into account spending requests for state agencies and the numbers are refined throughout the budgeting process. Agencies generally don’t receive everything they ask for, and the Legislative Fiscal Bureau provides a more conclusive picture of the budget in January.

When Walker took office in 2011, the state faced a $2.5 billion shortfall. After about $1.1 billion of state agency funding requests were added in, that projected deficit amounted to $3.6 billion. The governor addressed the shortfall with his controversial Act 10 budget repair bill and through funding cuts, and campaigned heavily in 2012 and 2014 on his success in closing the $3.6 billion gap.

The current $2.2 billion calculation doesn't account for income and property taxes promised by Walker for the next budget.

Walker will submit his budget to the Legislature in January or February, and the Legislature must pass it by the start of the new fiscal year on July 1.

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