Washington’s budget is tighter than your favorite pair of jeans after Thanksgiving dinner! Governor Bob Ferguson is trying to cut nearly $4 billion over four years to deal with a $15 billion deficit. Education and public safety are off the table for now, but what other cuts are being considered? And, perhaps more important: what isn’t being cut?
Here are Five Fast Facts on Washington State’s budget bickering:
- 📉 The Plan - Ferguson has proposed $4 billion in cuts over 4 years to prevent financial chaos. It starts with a 6% cut across the board, followed by things like closing unused facilities and cutting down on travel.
- ✋ No New Taxes…Yet - Lawmakers are kicking around ideas for new taxes, including a wealth tax. The Governor isn’t hip to tax increases, but hasn’t flatly rejected the idea.
- 🚫 Nope - Another idea up for consideration to cut costs is furloughs – state employees being given one unpaid day off per month over the next two years. Also, vacant jobs may remain unfilled for the foreseeable future.
- 💰 Pay Raises - Ironically, state employees have been slated for around $4 billion in raises over the next couple of years…despite being paid higher than private sector workers in 38 of 39 counties around the state. Oh, also it would mean cuts in programs like Medicaid, healthcare, and public funding throughout the state. Shh, don’t tell anyone.
- ⏳ Deadline - The current session wraps up on April 27th, so the Governor and lawmakers have until then to figure things out and reach an agreement of some kind.
🔥Bottom line: Ferguson’s plan is like a financial detox – necessary, but it’s gonna be a bumpy ride and people will get cranky.
What do you think should be done about the budget?
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