Tag Archives: 2025-27 state operating budget

Schoesler opposes Senate passage of supplemental operating budget

The Senate today voted along party lines to pass its version of the state supplemental operating budget, with opponents arguing it is not sustainable and reduces the percentage of spending that is dedicated to K-12 education.

Sen. Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, voted against the budget, which was passed on a 30-19 vote.

“The Senate Democrats’ operating budget relies heavily on one-time money,” said Schoesler, who serves the 9th Legislative District. “It would drain the state’s unrestricted reserves by $2.4 billion, take $750 million from the state’s rainy-day fund, transfer $395 million in capital-gains revenue from the capital budget to the operating budget, and raid $375 million from the Public Works Fund. It’s very risky to rely so much on these transfers and raids.”

Schoesler also opposes the Senate’s operating budget proposal because it makes K-12 education less of a spending priority.

“Under this budget, K-12 education funding would drop to just over a 42% share of the budget, which is lower than at the time when the state Supreme Court’s McCleary ruling was issued in 2012 (43.4%). When Republicans controlled the Senate in 2017, the level of K-12 spending in the operating budget was over 50%. It is a real concern to see K-12’s share of the budget pie become smaller, especially when the state constitution says education is supposed to be the paramount duty of our state.”

Schoesler pointed out that nonpartisan staff on the Senate Ways and Means Committee, which oversees the operating budget, told members there was an estimated gap of $1.5 billion for the current budget cycle and $4.3 billion for the four-year budget outlook ending in 2029.

“Instead of incorporating ideas offered by my Republican colleagues to erase this shortfall through savings and efficiencies, and avoid needless new spending, Senate Democrats instead have created a supplemental operating budget that would increase spending by $2.3 billion, which is 53% more than the $1.5 billion budget gap. At a time when we have a real budget problem, we should not jack up spending so much.”

The Senate Democrats’ supplemental operating budget would result in an 11.3% spending increase for the 2025-27 budget cycle compared to 2023-25. If their budget is enacted, it would result in an $80.1 billion budget, more than double the amount of the 2015-17 budget ($38.2 billion) – which was the last budget created under a Republican-controlled Senate.

Once the House of Representatives approves its supplemental operating budget, key legislators from each chamber will meet to work on a compromise budget for the Senate and House to consider.

The 2026 legislative session ends March 12.

Schoesler blasts Senate operating budget for out-of-control spending, record-setting taxes

The new two-year state operating-budget proposal passed by Senate Democrats today needlessly increases spending and raises taxes by a record amount, says Sen. Mark Schoesler.

The Senate’s operating budget was passed 28-21, with Schoesler and all other Republicans and two Democrats voting against it.

The Senate Democrats’ operating budget has a total price tag of $78.6 billion, a 9% spending increase over the current two-year budget.

“There are two main problems with the Senate Democrats’ operating budget: It raises taxes and overspends, despite the state facing a budget shortfall of more than $6 billion,” said Schoesler, R-Ritzville. “In fact, their budget adds an obscenely large amount – $12.1 billion – in new policy spending. At a time when state government should live within the existing revenue, Democrats again are insisting on unsustainable spending, putting our state on a path that eventually could hurt the vulnerable. It even spends nearly all of the state’s rainy-day fund, which is risky in itself since that money is meant for true budget emergencies, not to cover the Democrats’ unending desire to grow government, at the expense of hard-working Washingtonians.”

Schoesler points out the Senate Democrats’ operating budget would impose over $21 billion in new or higher taxes, including a hike in the amount state and local governments can raise property-tax rates annually without voter approval.

“Keep in mind Democrats last year planned to triple the allowable growth rate for property taxes to 3% annually, from 1%, but they backed off due to strong public opposition. The Senate Ds’ new plan would eliminate any cap. You and other property owners could face annual property-tax increases of 8% or higher. Such a large hike in property taxes year after year could force many homeowners and renters out of their homes at a time when housing is already a challenge for many in Washington,” said Schoesler.

On top of their proposed tax hikes, Senate Democrats want to increase fees that would hit many families. They have proposed raising tuition by $3,000 a year per family, which flies in the face of the tuition freeze that the Senate Majority Coalition Caucus (Republicans plus two Democrats) achieved many years ago, as well as eliminating financial aid for about 17,000 students. Democrats also want to double long-term care fees, adding $90 million in costs that will be passed on to Washington residents who pay privately for long-term care insurance, which makes the WA Cares program even more costly.

During debate on the operating budget, Republicans tried to pass a floor amendment that would have replaced the Democrats’ operating budget with the Republican budget proposal, which would not require any tax increases while maintaining spending levels for essential state services.

“Our Republican plan avoids the false argument that you either have to significantly raise taxes or drastically reduce spending to balance the state operating budget. Our plan offers a sensible third way to address the budget shortfall. Unfortunately, the floor amendment to use the Republican budget was rejected by majority Democrats on a party-line vote,” said Schoesler, who pointed out that the Republican budget plan also would allow the Discover Pass fee and hunting and fishing license fees to remain untouched.

“The majority budget is going to tax the people who fish and hunt to help the general-fund budget. That is just wrong. Our friends and neighbors should not be treated like they are millionaires to get more money out of them,” said Schoesler.

The House of Representatives is expected to pass its version of the operating budget on Monday. After that happens, Senate and House budget leaders will meet to work out differences between the two proposals and agree on a compromise budget.