While the Senate’s budget proposal released today invests heavily in education for our children, it relies on unsustainable and unworkable funding sources to pay for it. Instead of raising new revenue, like the Governor and House propose, the Senate lowers the bar on important investments in our workforce, early learning, and safety net programs. It balances the budget on unspecified savings and transfers from other funds. Further, Senate leaders propose to waste $114 million in state funds on new or re-enacted tax breaks rather than invest those scarce resources into services and programs that benefit all Washingtonians.
As budget negotiations continue, the Budget & Policy Center urges lawmakers to work toward a budget that invests in equal opportunities for our children, families, businesses, and communities by supporting a dependable and equitable tax system.
Stay tuned to schmudget for a more-detailed analysis on the budget.
