Calling it a “base budget,” House Democrats on Monday in Olympia unveiled a no-new-revenue operating budget that they said meets the basic needs of the state, doesn’t rely on unsustainable gimmicks, and, if approved by the Senate, would avoid a government shutdown if a budget isn’t approved by Tuesday, June 30.
The following is a statement from House Majority Leader Pat Sullivan (D-Covington):
“As we’ve stated consistently for the last six months, our budget priorities are to meet the K-12 McCleary obligation, fix the state’s mental health system, and make modest repairs to a safety net that saw deep cuts during the Great Recession.
“The budget we unveiled today meets these priorities and has some additional modest investments. But make no mistake – this is not a budget that significantly moves Washington forward. It merely keeps the lights on for another two years.
“No one in our caucus wants a government shutdown. This budget is a backup plan designed to meet the very basic needs of the state and avoid a shutdown. Our ‘Plan A’ will come in the form of a trailer bill that will make additional investments that are important to both sides – the additional teacher COLAs, more early learning slots, and higher education enhancements to name a few.
“The math is simple. These additional investments can only be made with new revenue. Unsustainable gimmicks, fund transfers, and hidden cuts – the Senate Republican plan – are not reliable revenue streams.
“This debate is no longer about enacting new taxes. All of those proposals have been taken off the table. We’re proposing to close a handful of costly, ineffective tax exemptions as a way to make the necessary investments we feel are important to build an economy that works for everyone in Washington.
“This is a go-home compromise solution that both sides can be happy with. Neither side gets everything they want, but both sides get something, and most important, will be doing right by the people of Washington. That’s the definition of compromise. That’s how we should do things in this Washington.
“Our hope is that Senate Republicans quickly agree with this approach so that we can also address other needs of the state, like approving a transportation revenue package and a capital budget.”
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