Statement on the Governor's Proposed Budget

Remy Trupin, B & PC Executive Director released a statement this morning on Governor Gregoire's proposed budget.

The Governor’s “Book One” budget is a stark example of how to fail at meeting Washington state’s needs by refusing to include revenue.  If adopted, this budget would keep our state mired in a recession. It is clear that a budget without revenue is unsustainable and it is dangerous to our economy and our future.

To invest in quality education as required under the state Supreme Court’s McCleary decision, we’ll need new revenue. To assert otherwise is wishful thinking. Without revenue, policymakers will be faced with making new job-threatening deep cuts to all other areas of state investments.

Governor Gregoire recognizes this.  And she has given us a contrast – her “Book Two” budget is a step in the right direction. We need a state budget that gets people back to work and builds a prosperous future with first-rate schools, affordable colleges, and a healthy, productive workforce. This all requires a Washington state with a revenue mix built for the 21st century.

Governor-elect Inslee should follow Governor Gregoire’s example and offer a budget with revenue to move our state’s economy forward.