Gov. Ferguson proposes $4billion in cuts to Washington state budget

Gov. Bob Ferguson speaks to reporters at the state Capitol on Feb. 27, 2025 about his plans to cut state spending by about $4 billion over four years. (Photo by Bill Lucia/Washington State Standard)

From the Washington State Standard

In rolling out his budget proposals yesterday, Ferguson continued to avoid taking any position on taxes he might support to solve the fiscal crunch. 

“Our energy’s been focused entirely on this process, which is time-consuming and a lot of decisions being made to get that $4 billion, to put it mildly,” he said of the effort to find savings. "We’re not going to tax our way out of this thing," he added.

Top Democratic lawmakers still seem resigned to the idea that taxes will be part of the solution. The Senate’s lead budget writer, Sen. June Robinson, D-Everett, said after Ferguson's announcement that cuts alone "will not allow us to sustain the services Washingtonians rely on."

A union that represents thousands of state workers rebuffed Ferguson's plan. “There is still time for our elected officials to do the right thing and reject harmful cuts, facility closures, and employee furloughs by asking the rich to pay their fair share,” said Washington Federation of State Employees president Mike Yestramski. | 

Read the entire article here