Statement on Governor's Budget Proposal

Our Executive Director Remy Trupin released a statement in response to the Governor's budget proposal this morning.

“We agree with the Governor that we cannot balance the budget through an all-cuts approach. 

After more than $10 billion in cuts since the start of the recession, revenue is crucial for rebuilding Washington state’s economy.  Through taxes, we as a community work together to pay for education, health care, human services, and infrastructure. These components strengthen the overall economy, provide a legacy for the future, and make all Washingtonians better off.

An increase in the state sales tax, and other short-term revenue options, will help Washington state recover from the Great Recession and create jobs. Deeper cuts to our public structures will not get Washingtonians working again.

Just as importantly, we must commit to long-term reform. If that does not happen, we will find ourselves in this situation year after year. It is time to break this short-sighted cycle.

Real revenue reform, such as our proposal to tax capital gains would help fuel economic recovery and stabilize our tax structure. Our current revenue is unable to keep pace with our economy.  

No doubt, elected officials have a tough job going into legislative session. They must act as stewards for our economy, and invest in public services that will create jobs. This can only be accomplished by making thoughtful changes to our existing revenue structure. “