Majority passes a $78.5 billion budget that relies on the largest tax increase in state history
In a 28-21 vote Saturday, the Washington State Senate Democrats passed their $78.5 billion operating budget proposal, the funding for which relies on the largest tax increase in state history and a raiding of the “rainy-day fund.”
Senate Democrats also rejected a striking amendment proposed by Sen. Chris Gildon, R-Puyallup, that would have substituted the Democrat budget with $ave Washington — a proposal with ZERO dollars in tax increases and no cuts to services. $ave Washington also would not have taken any money out of the rainy-day fund, preserving it for future emergencies.
Senate Republican Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, shared his reaction:
“Today, the Senate had a choice between a budget that respects the hardworking taxpayers of Washington state and one that continues down a dangerous path of over-taxation, overspending, and economic decline.
“The $78.5 billion Democratic budget is built on the same failed philosophy we’ve seen for years—spending beyond our means and raising taxes on families and businesses already struggling with inflation and high costs of living. It’s the same tired approach that pushes people and businesses out of Washington. It’s no wonder that so many of our neighbors are, in the words of John Denver, leaving ‘on a jet plane’ for states that don’t treat them like a never-ending ATM.
“By contrast, the Republican ‘$ave Washington’ budget is something people can believe in. It’s built on common sense, fiscal restraint, and sustainable investments in the core functions of government. It recognizes a simple truth: we must live within our means. It prioritizes what truly matters—education, public safety, and infrastructure—without raising a single new tax. And it saves for the future — ensuring we don’t face massive deficits down the road.
“The Democratic budget assumes we can spend indefinitely, as if there’s no cost to their ever-growing list of government programs. We’ve seen where that leads — higher taxes, businesses closing, and working families struggling to make ends meet. Worse yet, it continues down the road of destroying the trust between the government and the people of Washington. Year after year, taxpayers are told that higher taxes and bigger budgets will fix our problems, yet the same problems persist—homelessness, crime, a struggling economy. The people of Washington deserve honesty, not broken promises.”
Watch Sen. Braun’s floor speech.
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