State's budget gap grows to $5.3 billion

Washington’s state budget gap widened Thursday to about $5.3 billion through mid-2013. A new revenue forecast knocked another $780 million out of budget-writers’ hands, due to geopolitical uncertainty in the Mideast and Japan.

In doing so, the forecast stoked a growing debate: Should the state raise taxes to balance the books or simply slash programs, including health programs that serve the poor.