Democrats double down on taxes, pension raid, and spending addiction

Rep. Travis Couture criticized the House Democrats’ supplemental budget, citing new taxes, reserve withdrawals and K-12 cuts.

House Republican Budget Leader Rep. Travis Couture said the Democrats’ supplemental budget proposal shows they still haven’t learned from the deficits they created

House Democrats released their supplemental budget proposal Sunday, which House Republican Budget Leader Rep. Travis Couture said shows they still haven’t learned from the deficits they created.

“In the middle of another predictable multi-billion-dollar deficit, Democrats chose to spend more than Washington was projected to bring in and grow government by another $2 billion,” said Rep. Travis Couture, R-Allyn, ranking Republican on the House Appropriations Committee. “They drained the Rainy-Day Fund, launched an unconstitutional income tax, and raided a pension system — all to avoid making hard decisions.”

“Once you give government the power to tax income, it never gives it back,” Couture said. “Democrats say it’s only for the wealthy — but they’ve refused to put real guardrails on it. Today it’s ‘just the wealthy.’ Tomorrow it’s the rest of us.”

The proposal once again increases spending this biennium while relying on nearly $2 billion in new taxes over the next four years. It drains $880 million from reserves and shifts money across accounts to cover the gap.

“This budget leaves our state with one of the lowest reserve levels in the country and relies on risky, one-time gimmicks like sweeping dedicated accounts — which don’t fix deficits long-term; they just move them,” Couture said. “These are the same budget tricks that erased a multi-billion-dollar surplus and turned it into runaway deficits.”

Couture said the pattern is clear.

“You can’t fix budget problems with more spending,” he said. “When families face a deficit, they cut back to the essentials. When Democrats face a deficit, they raise your taxes, raid savings and pensions, and ensure government keeps growing while family budgets suffer. That’s not leadership — it’s a spending addiction.”

The proposal also makes significant cuts to K-12 funding, including cuts to Local Effort Assistance and other school allocations that will harshly impact rural districts.

“Our state constitution says funding K-12 education is our paramount duty,” Couture said. “Instead of protecting classrooms, Democrats protected government growth and special interests. Rural schools will feel these cuts the hardest.”

Under sustained Republican pressure, Democrats adopted portions of Couture’s Affordability First Budget Framework, including cuts to the state-funded program that provides free health care to illegal immigrants, increased wildfire investments, and shifting Climate Commitment Act dollars to support the Working Families Tax Credit for tax relief.

“We forced real improvements into this budget,” Couture said. “But those wins are overshadowed by reckless Democrat budgeting that makes Washington less competitive and more unaffordable.”

“This budget does nothing to lower the cost of gas, groceries, rent, child care, insurance, or energy,” Couture explained. “In some areas, like child care, families will feel more pressure at a time when they’re already stretched thin. Washington is already one of the most expensive states to live in — and this budget keeps us there.”

“The losers of this budget are hardworking families, rural communities, and small businesses. The winners are the political class and a government that refuses to say no,” he said.

The House Democrat supplemental budget will receive a public hearing Monday at 4 p.m. and executive action Wednesday at 4 p.m. in the House Appropriations Committee.

Information provided by the Washington State House Republican Communications, houserepublicans.wa.gov