On Tuesday, the press pelted Democratic Gov. Bob Ferguson with pointed questions on how $9.4 billion in new taxes over 4 years would influence the price of dwelling in Washington. Acknowledging he had “emphasised affordability” in his marketing campaign for governor, he shortly pivoted to a typical chorus he’s made: that he didn’t know final 12 months he could be “inheriting” a Gordian knot of a price range predicament.
These excuses finish now. Along with his signature on the state’s $78 billion two-year working price range, he’s complicit in imposing the most important tax enhance in state historical past. Along with will increase to enterprise and occupation taxes and the capital positive aspects tax, he additionally wholeheartedly embraced a rushed new Christmas tree of a gross sales tax on providers that may harm customers, companies, nonprofits and the economic system.
He took workplace with legislators alleging a $16 billion price range shortfall, which included the greater than $3 billion in state worker contracts outgoing Gov. Jay Inslee had negotiated as lately as October.
This “was not the way in which I needed to begin as governor,” Ferguson stated.
Although he had proposed restricted furloughs for state employees to help with the dire circumstances, state staff had been the large winners, preserving their 5% enhance over 4 years.
In the meantime, the price range lower help for foster kids, college bound college students, financial aid and walloped hospitals not solely with larger taxes but additionally cuts.
Not vetoing Senate Bill 5814 and requiring legislators to do higher in a particular session is now a part of his legacy. Watch the fallout unfold.
Going ahead, Ferguson should take a firmer hand in setting priorities for the state’s price range and insurance policies.
He should act to sort out pressing issues dealing with Washington. Foremost is the prospect of a disappointing income forecast, due in June, that might rip a brand new gap within the price range. And federal cuts to Medicaid or different packages could also be within the offing. Ferguson correctly condemned a transfer by Senate Democrats to raid the wet day fund this 12 months. However the monetary storm clouds will persist.
Lastly, the governor has dedicated to leaning in to the Okay-12 schooling system — the state’s paramount responsibility. That features discovering options to bolster lagging scholar achievement and reforming the sclerotic way K-12 is funded.
The governor has but to disclose absolutely his management playbook. It’s laborious to not discover some cognitive dissonance in a person who introduced he was “not right here to defend authorities,” however “to reform it,” at his January inaugural tackle, whereas signing into legislation Tuesday billions of {dollars} in new taxes.
So what’s going to Ferguson make his signature subject? Mike McClanahan, host of TVW’s “The Affect,” posed that very question to the first-year governor in a quick interview on the final day of the legislative session in April. He named three issues: hiring extra cops; making the state extra inexpensive, particularly on housing; and decreasing purple tape to make state authorities more practical and aware of residents.
“As a authorities, we have to work for the individuals in a extra environment friendly method,” Ferguson stated.
The Legislature certainly plugged in $100 million in grant funding on this 12 months’s price range for cops at his insistence. However on his different “signature” points, he emerged from the session with not a lot to point out for them, until you depend priorities lawmakers already supposed (reminiscent of a file $600 million for the state’s housing belief fund).
However no matter he chooses to concentrate on, the future of Washington is now largely in Ferguson’s fingers. Its successes and failures relaxation on his shoulders.
Gov. Ferguson, the buck now stops with you.
If you want to share your ideas, please submit a Letter to the Editor of not more than 200 phrases to be thought-about for publication in our Opinion part. Ship to: letters@seattletimes.com
