Ranker: Republican Budget Balanced on Backs of Most Vulnerable

— from Dave Pringle, Senate Democratic Communications —

Sen. Kevin Ranker, D-Orcas Island, lead Senate Democrat on budget negotiations, issued the following statement following passage of the Senate Republican’s operating budget proposal:

“After a marathon 18 hours of debate in a 36-hour period, Republicans passed a budget today that falls short of our values in Washington state despite Democrats’ best efforts to improve it.

“The Republican plan passed tonight is a property tax plan impersonating a K12 education plan for our 1.1 million schoolchildren. This plan makes our unfair system worse, picking winners and losers from our communities. 71 school districts stand to lose $30.4 million, including Tacoma, Everett, Blaine, Concrete, and Ritzville.

“And other communities will see their local property tax increase including San Juan Island, Seattle, Mukilteo among many others.

“We need to fully fund our children’s future, but we cannot balance it on the backs of our most vulnerable. The Republican budget is balanced by a $274 million cut to programs for our poorest, single moms and homeless. It is an $80 million cut to our mental health programs. And late last night in Ways & Means Committee, an amendment took a $1.7 million cut to family planning programs such as Planned Parenthood.

“I believe we can do better than this, and we must. This is the time to care. This is the time, as elected officials, to make people’s lives better, to make our communities better, and to ensure all of the citizens of this great state have the opportunity for a better life. I look forward to negotiate a final budget that will reflect the values of our state, caring for the most vulnerable and fully funding an exceptional education system.”