House Republican budget lead Rep. Travis Couture issues statement on governor’s 2025 budget proposal

Rep. Travis Couture, R-Allyn, the ranking Republican on the House Appropriations Committee, issued a statement Tuesday following the release of Gov. Jay Inslee’s proposed operating budget.

“This budget is not a serious proposal. Governor Inslee’s $13 billion tax hike and reckless spending increase show just how out of touch his administration is with the financial realities facing Washington families.

“Our state has a spending problem, not a revenue problem.

“Despite record revenues over the past four years, Democratic leaders in the Legislature have consistently engaged in unsustainable budgeting by spending more revenue than was expected to be raised directly, causing this current deficit. No Washington family has the luxury of engaging in this level of fiscal irresponsibility.

“At a time when we are staring down a projected $10 to $12 billion shortfall, the governor’s solution is to completely raid the rainy-day fund, saddle hard-working Washingtonians with higher taxes, and increase spending by 9%. This is not leadership – it is fiscal irresponsibility.

“Raising taxes when families are struggling with the high cost of living, small businesses are closing their doors, and inflation is squeezing every dollar is the wrong approach. The people of Washington state are being forced to tighten their belts and make hard decisions. State government must do the same.

“Instead of taxing our way out of a budget crisis, we should prioritize responsible spending, improve government efficiency, and protect critical services. We need to foster economic growth – not stifle it with more taxes and bigger government.

“Let’s not forget: Our state had a historic $15 billion budget surplus in 2022.

“Yet, despite repeated warnings from House Republicans to supplement the rainy-day fund with surplus revenues, the majority opted to spend those reserves on new policies. Now the governor wants to gut the fund entirely, potentially risking our state’s credit rating.

“The rainy-day fund exists to protect taxpayers during true emergencies, not bail out government from a totally predictable budget crisis fueled by majority Democrats’ irresponsible spending.

“The proposed budget is built on a house of cards. It depends on new revenue from a legally questionable wealth tax that may be the largest tax increase in state history. This is no more than an unrealized capital gains wealth tax that is more volatile than the state’s current capital gains tax, which is already generating less revenue than expected.

“The majority party’s next solution is a devastating and dramatic increase in the state’s business and occupation tax, which will further harm businesses and put workers at risk.

“Democrats have already passed nearly 50 new taxes and fees over the past decade, driving up state revenues while making life less affordable for Washingtonians. Enacting these new taxes will only exacerbate our affordability crisis.

“Democrat leaders will tell you the state needs these new taxes to fix a deficit that they blame on increased demand for core services. This is wrong. Demand is down with fewer students in our schools, fewer inmates in our prisons, fewer individuals using Medicaid, and fewer people interested in attending our higher education institutions than in recent years.

“Our current budget crisis can be solved by taking a serious look at what the state is spending and cutting some of the majority party’s out-of-control spending that got us here in the first place.

“Republicans will work hard to comb through the budget and find those solutions to protect Washington families and businesses.”

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Washington State House Republican Communications
houserepublicans.wa.gov