— statement by Senator Kevin Ranker —
“I am proud to support the budget released today by the House Democrats. It is truly a good faith compromise. I have worked for weeks with my colleagues in the House and am impressed with the proposal we now have before us. It is truly a “go home budget.”
“It funds K-12 and higher education, funds mental health, protects those most in need, funds family planning and protects natural and recreational resources. Most importantly, it is exactly the sort of compromise that will allow us to avoid a government shutdown. An unprecedented shutdown would have serious and lasting impacts on thousands of employees and state services as well as negative impacts on schools, public safety, state parks and other critical functions people throughout our state rely on.
“Whether we like it or not, money dictates the priorities of government. From education to family planning to incentivizing Washington jobs to protecting our environmental and recreational resources, how we choose to spend money can advance or devastate the core values of a majority of Washingtonians. In short, Washington State’s budget must not only be sustainable, but must also advance and protect our core values.
“We now have before us a sustainable, compromise budget. One not built on gimmicks or fund shifts, but one built upon actual resources and revenue through the closure of some corporate tax loopholes. And while it does not fund some of our priorities, it does protect and in some cases advance, our core values.
“It is my sincere hope that Republicans will now join us in the middle and pass a sustainable budget that respects Washington’s values and avoids putting our state through a devastating shutdown.”
(To see the budget, go to https://leap.leg.wa.gov/leap/budget/detail/2015/so1517p.asp )
The state projects receiving more than $3 billion in additional revenue for the coming biennium. And the state is going to spend it all AND more.
Perhaps most importantly it funds the 11% pay raise that the legislature gave themselves this session.
While DSHS and ECEAP funding will expire as of July 1st essentially shutting down local childcare and social services, it’s comforting to know that the states legislators made sure their checks were a little bigger to help them weather the storm. Democrat or Republican, every one of them should be ashamed of the position they have put our state in.