The state's projected budget deficit, which had been one of the major issues pushed by Republican Dino Rossi in this year's gubernatorial campaign, is back in the news today as the state's economic and revenue forecast council announced even more declining state revenues.

Because of a projected drop in consumer spending, state revenues are expected to only grow by five percent in the next biennium, compared with the 8 percent projected earlier.

This means that the projected deficit, which had stood at $3.2 billion has now grown to a little over $5 billion.

Sen. Joe Zarelli (R-Ridgefield), the ranking minority member on the state ways and means committee, tells The Olympian that a supplemental budget for fiscal year 2009 should be the senate's first priority once the session begins in January.