The State House of Representatives have unveiled their budget proposal. The Republicans argue that the economy is getting better and revenue is increasing, so we have plenty of money to fund whatever we need without raising taxes. They ignore the drastic cuts that were made during the recession that have left our state suffering. And while they may give lip-service to the idea of tax fairness, their fixation on “no new taxes” means supporting the status quo of a really unfair tax structure.
“After seven years of cuts totaling more than $12 billion, we have to take an honest look at the state of our state,” said House Majority Leader Rep. Pat Sullivan (D-Covington). “We have to ask: ‘Is this really what we want?’ This budget is a stand against mediocrity. Just being ‘Okay’ is not acceptable.”
What the House Democratic Budget will do:
- $3.2 billion – Additional K-12 spending, a 21% increase in funding over last biennium
- $1.4 billion in K-12 policy adds that will count towards that state’s McCleary obligation including:
- K-3 class size reduction
- Full funding for all-day kindergarten for every child in the state
- Materials, supplies and operating costs
- Supports to prepare students for college and careers
- The remaining $1.8 billion investment pays for the policy decisions made towards fully funding education in the 2013-15 budget.
- $1.4 billion in K-12 policy adds that will count towards that state’s McCleary obligation including:
- $385 million – Restore cost-of-living adjustments for school employees.
- $227 million – Expansion of quality early learning and childhood education.
- $256 million – Investments in higher education including two years of tuition freezes, student financial aid, and high-demand, high-salary degrees.
- $100 million – New mental health capacity to ensure that people get the help they need in their time of crisis.
- $9.6 million – Restore previous cuts to the state’s Food Assistance program that feeds hungry children, families, and seniors in the state.
As a result of an unfair and outdated tax structure, state revenues are becoming increasingly inadequate to pay for essential state services like basic education, health care, and prisons. The state doesn’t have adequate resources despite a growing economy. After seven years and $12 billion in budget cuts stemming from the Great Recession, many lawmakers believe now is time to act on revenue reform.
“We have the most unfair tax structure in the nation,” said Rep. Reuven Carlyle (D-Seattle), House Finance committee chair. “Our tax system hurts working families, the middle class, and small businesses, while the wealthiest individuals and corporations don’t pay their fair share. It’s time to build fairness in the system so that we can make critical investments in our state’s economy.”
Read more from the House Democrats