Washington State lawmakers have wrapped up their legislative session by approving a whopping $78 billion two-year budget. It's like they found a magic money tree and decided to fund everything from schools to state prisons, mental health services, and more. But what about the $15 billion budget shortfall, you say? That’s a great question, but you might not like the answer.
Here are Five Fast Facts on the final budget:
- ⚖️ Balancing Act - Democrats wanted huge new taxes. Republicans argued for cuts without new taxes. Governor Bob Ferguson tried to walk the line between them, opposing another wealth tax and favoring budget trimming instead.
- 👍 $78 Billion Budget Approved - In the end, lawmakers gave the green light to a nearly $78 billion budget to fund pretty much their entire wish list, including education, mental health, and homelessness programs.
- 📉 Cuts to Key Services - There were some small budget cuts to areas like behavioral health, the Department of Children, Youth and Families, higher education, and healthcare. It's like trimming the fat, but accidentally slicing into the steak.
- 🤔 $15 Billion Shortfall Addressed (Kind Of) - To tackle the anticipated $15 billion deficit, the budget includes $4.3 billion in new taxes over two years, spending cuts, and funding for new programs. And no, your math isn’t that bad. One could argue theirs is, though!
- 💰 Tax Increases Galore - Residents can expect higher costs for gas, marriage licenses, rental cars, and even fishing licenses. It's like the state did their best Oprah impression: “You get a new tax! You get a new tax! You get a new tax...”
🔥Bottom line: Washington's lawmakers have wrapped up their session with a budget that’s something of a unicorn – it spends big, cuts costs, and raises taxes. Generally speaking, though, it seems they’re trying to spend their way out of debt. That’s great, because that always works. Right…?
What do you think of this budget? Are you excited to pay all those new taxes?
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