On Tuesday, the press pelted Democratic Gov. Bob Ferguson with pointed questions on how $9.4 billion in new taxes over 4 years would impression the price of dwelling in Washington. Acknowledging he had “emphasised affordability” in his marketing campaign for governor, he shortly pivoted to a standard chorus he’s made: that he didn’t know final 12 months he can be “inheriting” a Gordian knot of a funds predicament.
These excuses finish now. Along with his signature on the state’s $78 billion two-year working funds, he’s complicit in imposing the biggest 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 companies that can damage shoppers, companies, nonprofits and the financial system.
He took workplace with legislators alleging a $16 billion funds shortfall, which included the greater than $3 billion in state worker contracts outgoing Gov. Jay Inslee had negotiated as just lately as October.
This “was not the way in which I wished to start out as governor,” Ferguson stated.
Although he had proposed restricted furloughs for state staff to help with the dire circumstances, state workers have been the massive winners, conserving their 5% enhance over 4 years.
In the meantime, the funds minimize help for foster kids, college bound college students, financial aid and walloped hospitals not solely with increased taxes but in addition 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 funds and insurance policies.
He should act to sort out pressing issues going through Washington. Foremost is the prospect of a disappointing income forecast, due in June, that would rip a brand new gap within the funds. 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 Ok-12 training system — the state’s paramount obligation. That features discovering options to bolster lagging pupil achievement and reforming the sclerotic way K-12 is funded.
The governor has but to disclose absolutely his management playbook. It’s exhausting 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 handle, whereas signing into regulation Tuesday billions of {dollars} in new taxes.
So what is going to Ferguson make his signature problem? Mike McClanahan, host of TVW’s “The Impression,” posed that very question to the first-year governor in a short 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 pink tape to make state authorities more practical and conscious of residents.
“As a authorities, we have to work for the folks in a extra environment friendly method,” Ferguson stated.
The Legislature certainly plugged in $100 million in grant funding on this 12 months’s funds 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 rely priorities lawmakers already meant (corresponding to a document $600 million for the state’s housing belief fund).
However no matter he chooses to deal with, the future of Washington is now largely in Ferguson’s arms. Its successes and failures relaxation on his shoulders.
Gov. Ferguson, the buck now stops with you.
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