The structural deficit represents how much the state’s finances will be out of balance by the end of the next biennium, on June 30, 2017, based on current spending and revenue levels. It does not take into account future changes in spending or revenue growth.

The updated projection was prepared at the request of several Democratic legislators, including state Sen. Jon Erpenbach of Middleton, who leveled a sharp criticism of Walker.

“Gov. Walker tore the people of this state apart using a ‘financial crisis’ as an excuse to justify policies that were questionable at best,” Erpenbach said in a statement. “As a result, our structural deficit has blown up to $1.8 billion.”

Before Walker took office, the projected structural deficit in mid-2010 for the 2011-13 budget was $2.5 billion. That grew to $3.6 billion after state department requests were added in.

Lang also said in an interview the lower revenues means the state faces a $397 million budget shortfall by mid-2015 — the end of the current budget cycle — though that could also change depending on the 2014 fiscal year report due by Oct. 15. The shortfall reflects projected deficit spending of $840 million in 2015.