{"id":3083,"date":"2025-03-28T09:00:28","date_gmt":"2025-03-28T16:00:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/senatedemocrats.wa.gov\/robinson\/?p=3083"},"modified":"2025-03-27T16:17:51","modified_gmt":"2025-03-27T23:17:51","slug":"building-a-balanced-sustainable-budget","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/senatedemocrats.wa.gov\/robinson\/2025\/03\/28\/building-a-balanced-sustainable-budget\/","title":{"rendered":"Building a balanced, sustainable budget"},"content":{"rendered":"

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

We\u2019re almost in the final month of the 2025 legislative session!<\/span><\/b> I have spent the last 11 weeks working hard to deliver real results for our district and state, especially through the Senate operating budget proposal. <\/span>Unveiled earlier this week<\/span><\/b><\/a>, our budget is a balanced, sustainable plan that meets the moment and invests in Washington\u2019s future. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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

BALANCING THE BUDGET<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Budgets reflect our values, and this year, we faced incredibly tough decisions. In past e-newsletters, I’ve discussed the deficit confronting our state, <\/span>how we got here<\/span><\/b><\/a>, and the path forward. As chair of the Senate Ways & Means Committee and lead budget writer, my priority is to close that gap in a responsible way without abandoning the services people rely on.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This proposal protects health care, housing, and food assistance by maintaining funding levels for key programs, ensuring families across Washington continue to get the support they need. It also invests $750 million per year in K-12 education, most heavily on special education and school operations, so students and educators have the resources needed to succeed.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

At the same time, we took a close look at where we could reduce spending responsibly. Washingtonians asked us to find savings, and we listened. We identified $6.5 billion in reductions over four years, making tough choices while working to limit harm as much as possible. But an all-cuts approach would have been absolutely devastating, putting schools and supports at serious risk. That\u2019s why we paired these reductions with <\/span>new, progressive revenue options<\/span><\/b><\/a> to keep essential services strong without shifting the burden onto working families.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This budget cuts the state sales tax from 6.5% to 6%, putting money back in the pockets of Washingtonians. It also provides property tax relief for low-income seniors and veterans with disabilities and makes responsible updates to our antiquated and upside-down tax code to support continued economic stability and public investment in our communities.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For too long, we\u2019ve treated our operating, capital, and transportation budgets as separate, even though the challenges we face are interconnected. This budget takes a more coordinated, reimagined approach, allowing us to invest in infrastructure, support long-term capital investments, and meet other pressing needs in a way that makes sense for our state.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

We built this budget with Washington\u2019s future in mind, protecting core services, keeping our state financially strong, and ensuring we don\u2019t pass today\u2019s challenges on to future generations.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The budget has already been heard in Ways & Means and voted out of the committee. The full Senate will vote on our plan tomorrow \u2014 you can watch the floor debate live on <\/span>TVW.org<\/span><\/b><\/a> starting at 9:30\u00a0a.m. Once it advances, we will then begin negotiations with our House counterparts to come to an agreement on a final version, which must pass both chambers by session’s end on April 27. To become law, it will need the governor’s signature.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The full proposal is available <\/span>here<\/span><\/b><\/a>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Thank you to everyone who participated in our telephone town hall last week! Reps. Mary Fosse and Julio Cortes and I truly appreciated you taking the time to listen and ask questions. We discussed everything from the status of our state budget and the need for increased education funding to our efforts to improve access to high-quality health care and affordable housing.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If you weren’t able to join us or we didn’t get to your question, please contact our office at <\/span>June.Robinson@leg.wa.gov<\/span><\/b><\/a>. You can also listen to the town hall <\/span>here<\/span><\/b><\/a>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

WHAT WE\u2019RE HEARING FROM YOU<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Many of you have shared your thoughts on <\/span>Senate Bill 5041<\/span><\/b><\/a>, which addresses unemployment insurance benefits for striking workers. The bill passed the Senate on March 7, moving to the House, where it just passed out of the Labor & Workforce Standards Committee on March 21.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If enacted, this bill would allow striking workers to receive unemployment benefits after two weeks on strike. To put this in perspective, only seven strikes in the past decade would have qualified. Strikes are always a last resort \u2014 workers don\u2019t strike to collect unemployment benefits. In states with similar laws, there\u2019s no evidence that access to these benefits leads to more strikes. However, when workers have support, employers may be more inclined to negotiate fairly, potentially reducing the need for strikes.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I want to assure you your voices are being heard. The bill, which I supported in the Senate, was amended to limit unemployment benefits for striking workers to a maximum of 12 weeks. It also includes a 10-year sunset clause, meaning it will be reevaluated to assess its impact over time.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A fair and just workplace benefits everyone, and collective action remains a powerful tool for progress. As the bill keeps moving through the process, I hope you’ll continue to share your thoughts, as well as on other topics that matter to you. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

STAY IN TOUCH\u00a0<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Staying connected with the people I represent is one of the most important parts of this job. Your insights and feedback help shape the work we do in Olympia, and I value the conversations we have \u2014 whether it\u2019s over email, on the phone, or in person. I encourage you to keep reaching out, following along for updates, and staying engaged.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Sincerely,\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
\n\u00a0<\/span>June Robinson<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Dear friends and neighbors,\u00a0 We\u2019re almost in the final month of the 2025 legislative session! I have spent the last 11 weeks working hard to deliver real results for our district and state, especially through the Senate operating budget proposal. Unveiled earlier this week, our budget is a balanced, sustainable plan that meets the moment and invests in Washington\u2019s future. \u00a0 BALANCING THE BUDGET\u00a0 Budgets reflect our values, and this year, we faced incredibly tough decisions. In past e-newsletters, I’ve discussed the deficit confronting our state, how we got here, and the path forward. As chair of the Senate Ways…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":44,"featured_media":3085,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"disable_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3083","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-e-news"],"yoast_head":"\nBuilding a balanced, sustainable budget - Sen. June Robinson<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/senatedemocrats.wa.gov\/robinson\/2025\/03\/28\/building-a-balanced-sustainable-budget\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Building a balanced, sustainable budget - Sen. June Robinson\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Dear friends and neighbors,\u00a0 We\u2019re almost in the final month of the 2025 legislative session! I have spent the last 11 weeks working hard to deliver real results for our district and state, especially through the Senate operating budget proposal. Unveiled earlier this week, our budget is a balanced, sustainable plan that meets the moment and invests in Washington\u2019s future. \u00a0 BALANCING THE BUDGET\u00a0 Budgets reflect our values, and this year, we faced incredibly tough decisions. In past e-newsletters, I’ve discussed the deficit confronting our state, how we got here, and the path forward. As chair of the Senate Ways...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/senatedemocrats.wa.gov\/robinson\/2025\/03\/28\/building-a-balanced-sustainable-budget\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Sen. 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