{"id":3122,"date":"2025-11-14T12:58:24","date_gmt":"2025-11-14T19:58:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/senatedemocrats.wa.gov\/kauffman\/?p=3122"},"modified":"2025-11-14T12:58:24","modified_gmt":"2025-11-14T19:58:24","slug":"fact-check-washingtons-budget-and-tax-system","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/senatedemocrats.wa.gov\/kauffman\/2025\/11\/14\/fact-check-washingtons-budget-and-tax-system\/","title":{"rendered":"Fact check: Washington\u2019s budget and tax system"},"content":{"rendered":"

Dear friends and neighbors,<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Responsible budgeting means meeting today\u2019s needs while planning for tomorrow. This last session, I worked to protect funding for schools, public safety, and essential services while keeping our state on stable financial footing. There has been a lot of debate about Washington\u2019s budget and tax system, and I want to share some facts with you so you can learn more.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The chart above shows how Washington\u2019s tax collections compare to the overall growth of personal income in our state \u2014 a key measure nonpartisan economists use to understand whether revenue is keeping pace with the economy. Over the past two decades, that share has steadily declined, dropping from about 7% of total personal income in the late 1990s to around 5% today.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

That means even as wages, population, and the overall economy have grown, state revenue has not kept up. Washington now collects a smaller share of personal income than it did a generation ago, which makes it harder to fund schools, health care, and other essential services.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The challenge is not that Washington collects too much revenue; it is that our economy has evolved while our tax code has not, leaving the state less able to keep pace with the needs of families and communities.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Another claim is that Washington faces a budget shortfall simply because of \u201coverspending.\u201d The truth is more complex: costs have gone up due to inflation and growing demand for services, while federal funding has been cut for essential programs, all of which led to the significant budget deficit. That means doing nothing would have led to school closures, reduced access to health care, and deeper barriers for families already struggling. The question is not whether we fund essential services \u2014 it is whether we fund them responsibly and fairly.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

That is why this year\u2019s budget focused on stability, responsibility, and protecting core services for Washington families.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

PROTECTING SCHOOLS AND ESSENTIAL SERVICES<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The <\/span>2025-27 budget<\/span><\/b><\/a> was one of the most difficult in recent memory due to inflation, growing demand for services, and significant federal funding cuts. Even so, we avoided harmful austerity and protected core priorities, including:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n