House Democrats pass record $80 billion budget built on risk and higher costs, Couture says
CONTACT: Hanna Scott, Public Information Officer | 360-968-3938
House Democrats pass record $80 billion budget built on risk and higher costs, Couture says
House Democrats approved an $80 billion state operating budget tonight that House Republican Budget Leader Rep. Travis Couture, R-Allyn, says increases spending to record levels while relying on risky assumptions, one-time fixes, and higher costs for Washington families.
“This budget is economic arson,” Couture said. “Democrats are pouring fuel on a spending addiction while Washingtonians struggle with higher costs for housing, groceries, gas, child care, insurance and more. Instead of helping people, Democrats chose bigger government and more taxes.”
Couture said the budget is built on legally uncertain assumptions, including an unconstitutional income tax expected to generate $2.1 billion and a $4 billion raid from the LEOFF 1 pension. He warned that when both fail, the state will face billions in new shortfalls.
The plan also relies on budget gimmicks, including an $880 million raid from the Rainy-Day Account and other dedicated accounts, which Couture said masks structural budget problems that continue to give us multi-billion-dollar deficits.
“We didn’t solve the deficit. We just played a shell game with the money,” Couture said. “You only get to spend the same dollar once.”
Couture said spending grows by roughly 11% when combined with previous increases. At the same time, he said the budget includes more than $1 billion in combined Medicaid reductions, squeezing hospitals and vulnerable Washingtonians.
While Democrats adopted Republican amendments to help crime victims and the developmentally disabled, they rejected most Republican proposals.
He said Republicans offered over 20 amendments to protect kids, protect classrooms, protect SNAP benefits, restore Medicaid, stop fraudulent use of taxpayer dollars, invest in public safety, provide $2 billion in property tax relief, issue a gas tax rebate, and create a week-long sales tax holiday just in time for Christmas.
“Washington families and small businesses needed relief,” Couture said. “Democrats said no.”
He also criticized massive cuts to education funding, saying government and bureaucracy grew while classrooms and property-poor districts will fall further behind.
Couture said affordability remains the top concern he hears from constituents across Washington, yet the budget fails to address rising costs facing families.
“After billions in new spending, nothing became more affordable for the people paying the bills,” Couture said. “As families across Washington tighten their belts, Democrats grew spending, raised taxes, raided pensions, and grew government.”
He also criticized the process behind the budget, saying Republicans and the millions of Washingtonians they represent were excluded from negotiations, unlike the bipartisan approach used on the transportation budget.
“This budget is like maxing out one credit card and trying to pay it off with another,” Couture said. “Eventually the bill comes due, and the people of Washington are the ones left paying for it.”
