The state economic forecast comes out today. It will let lawmakers know whether there’s a projected budget surplus or deficit in the 2019 legislative session. Democratic Representative Lyndon Carlson, incoming chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, predicts a budget surplus and says “I think we can safely say for the upcoming biennium we’re going to have a significant number of dollars available, with the economic growth we’ve had we’ve been generating additional revenue.” Carlson does, however, add “the I way view the November forecast, that’s kind of a benchmark, that tells us where we stand at this point in time, the forecast that we’ll really build the budget on is the February forecast which will come out in early March.” Carlson says the state is in good economic shape in the short-term, partly thanks to the federal tax cut, but he’s quick to note that is likely only a “temporary bump” and a budget shortfall could be coming in 2021.