WA state lawmakers react to governor calling latest tax proposal ‘too risky’; House majority leader: ‘We need to look for deeper cuts’

WA lawmakers react to governor calling latest tax proposal ‘too risky’

FOX 13 — On the other side of the aisle, House Appropriations Ranking Member Rep. Travis Couture, R-Allyn, said his caucus agrees with the governor that raising $12 billion in taxes is too much. “But $8 billion, $5 billion and $3 billion are also unsustainable for new tax increases,” he said. “The only acceptable number is $0 in tax increases.” Couture argued the state should dial back spending as new taxes would hurt people at a time of increasing unaffordability. From his perspective, the governor is not providing a clear sign of how much he would accept in new taxes, complicating things for legislators.

House majority leader: ‘We need to look for deeper cuts’

KING TV — Legislators have until April 27 to pass a new budget. Whether Gov. Bob Ferguson signs it, is a different matter. Ferguson and Democratic state lawmakers continue to butt heads on the best way to close the state’s $16 billion budget gap. Ferguson said the most recent budget proposal is not doing enough to protect Washington state from the Trump administration. Ferguson released a statement on Thursday pushing back on the latest proposal from Senate and House Democrats that includes either new taxes or tax hikes to raise $12 billion over the next four years, versus making significant cuts to state spending.

CAPITOL BUZZ RADIO/AUDIO

• Capitol Buzz Headlines – April 18, 2025 (KLCK Radio/Gorge Country Media)

AGRICULTURE

• Harvest time for WA asparagus crop. Will immigration fears keep workers away? (Tri-City Herald) $

BUSINESS, ECONOMY & LABOR

• Survey: WA employers wary of recession, tariffs, increased state taxes (The Center Square)

CONGRESS

• Cantwell, Schrier visit Wenatchee to hear concerns about potential Medicaid cuts (The Wenatchee World) $
• Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez’s controversial votes draw ire from supporters in Southwest Washington (The Columbian) $
• DelBene talks possible Medicaid cuts at Monroe roundtable (The Everett Herald) $

CORRECTIONS & JAILS

• A new rulebook for nonprofit jails (The Washington Observer) $

COURTS (FEDERAL)

• Supreme Court blocks, for now, new deportations under 18th century wartime law (AP)

COURTS (STATE)

• WA Supreme Court strikes down Spokane camping ban initiative (Cascade PBS)
• OPINION: WA Supreme Court ignores voters, makes homeless challenge worse (Chris Cargill, President of Mountain States Policy Center/The Center Square)

CRIME & PUBLIC SAFETY

• Gov. Ferguson signs bill to track sexually violent predators (KAPP/KVEW)

DRUG CRISIS

• Spokane County, city meet to coordinate response to ‘crisis’ of opioid epidemic (The Spokesman-Review) $
• Spokane leaders join forces to address drug crisis after long divide (The Center Square)
• Spokane nonprofit Maddie’s Place faces funding crisis amid state budget shortfall (KHQ TV)

EARLY LEARNING

• Central WA Head Start classes to reopen after sudden shutdown (The Seattle Times) $

EDUCATION

• Washington Parents Network files Title VI complaint against Reykdal (The Center Square)
• Lynden School District plans ‘legal action’ against state over gender inclusion (KGMI Radio/My Bellingham Now)

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS & SERVICES

• Trump cuts to WA disaster preparedness ‘reckless,’ governor says (The Seattle Times) $

ENERGY & UTILITIES

• Abbarno bill to protect utility companies and ratepayers one step closer to becoming law (The Chronicle)

ENVIRONMENT

• Edmonds launches technology to destroy PFAS (The Everett Herald) $

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT & THE WHITE HOUSE

• Federal job cuts could land hard in Washington state (Axios – Seattle)
• Trump wants more logging in national forests. Here’s what that could mean for WA (The News Tribune) $

FISH

• Up a creek: $5B culvert removal plan appears dead in WA Legislature (Washington State Standard)
• Trump orders cuts to fishing regulation, delighting industry but alarming conservationists (AP)

GUN RIGHTS

• Democrats tighten gun control (The Washington Observer) $

HEALTH CARE & HOSPITALS

• Washington moves toward a new Medicaid money shuffle (The Washington Observer) $
• NCW medical leaders warn of ‘significant detriment’ if Medicaid loses funding (NCW Life Channel)

HIGHER EDUCATION

• Thirty-four international students in Washington state deleted from federal database (KUOW Radio)
• COLUMN: Another MAGA wall goes up, this one around UW and other colleges (Danny Westneat/The Seattle Times) $

HOUSING

• Lot-splitting has its day in the Senate (The Washington Observer) $
• Housing advocates say Senate version of rent-cap bill ‘guts’ tenant protections (The Olympian) $
• WA lawmakers pass major parking reform bill to boost housing (Cascade PBS)
• COLUMN: Seattle has nation’s smallest new apartments, report shows (Gene Balk/The Seattle Times) $

IMMIGRATION

• WA health care expansion for low-income immigrants on track to be maintained (Washington State Standard)

LAW ENFORCEMENT

• Everett officer-involved shooting leads to hours-long standoff at motel (The Everett Herald) $

LEGISLATURE

• Saving kids and critters from deadly cars (The Washington Observer) $
• 20th District lawmakers to provide final legislative update of the session at chamber event (The Chronicle)
• Abbarno bill becomes law, extends cooperative work on infrastructure (The Chronicle)
• Rep. Abbarno welcomes Ridgefield’s ‘Tater Tots’ to state Capitol (The Columbian) $
• OPINION: Why transparency matters when everything is on the line in Olympia (Rep. Peter Abbarno/The Chronicle)

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

• Seattle council demands action following damning City Light inquiry (The Seattle Times) $
• AG says timing of ex-Franklin leaders’ benefit changes violated WA constitution (Tri-City Herald) $
• PDC issues warning, dismisses complaint against Edmonds officials (The Everett Herald) $
• Yakima County Coroner Jim Curtice signs resignation agreement; criminal case continues (Yakima Herald-Republic) $
• EDITORIAL: County’s offer allows Curtice a graceful exit (Yakima Herald-Republic) $

OPEN GOVERNMENT

• OPINION: WA Legislature has work to do on public access (Jean Hill, executive director of the Washington State Catholic Conference/The Seattle Times) $

OTHER STATES

• Bills to help Oregon schools fund years of summer learning await governor’s signature (Oregon Capital Chronicle/Oregon Public Broadcasting)

PARENTAL RIGHTS

• OPINION: Parents told to have a seat; government knows best (Elizabeth Hovde, Washington Policy Center/Clark County Today)

SCHOOL SAFETY

• ‘It’s like a nightmare’: Students recount alleged abuse at closed Tacoma school as they seek accountability (KING TV)
• Auburn middle school coach accused of sending sexual texts to student (The Seattle Times) $

TAXES

• More Ferguson shade on Democrats’ tax proposals (The Washington Observer) $
• Republican budget leaders agree with governor: latest Democrat tax plan is wrong for Washington (Clark County Today)
• Rep. Travis Couture blasts Washington Democrats’ tax proposals, calls for ‘zero new taxes’ in fiery interview (KVI Radio)
• Wealth tax resurrected as WA Dems advance several revenue bills out of executive session (The Center Square)
• WA Democrats bring back wealth tax idea with ‘limited dollar amount’ (The Olympian) $
• Washington Legislature advances a bill that could add taxes on short-term rentals (The Chronicle)
• Booze biz hit with 50% fee hike as WA Senate passes controversial bill by one vote (KIRO TV)
• Proposed Beer Tax worries Spokane brewery owners (KHQ TV)
• OPINION: ‘Make the wealthy pay,’ Democrats say — while they come for your money (Sen. John Braun/The Reflector)
• OPINION: Regressive tax proposals harm low-income residents looking to move to lower-risk, FDA-approved nicotine products (Dr. Paul Racicot, MD, has more than 40 years of experience in addiction treatment and is the co-founder of a recovery clinic/The Spokesman-Review) $
• COLUMN: WA Democrats, let’s play … Name! That! Tax! (David Horsey/The Seattle Times) $

TRANSPORTATION

• Expert warns Interstate 5 bridge toll could reach $20 (KOMO TV)

TRANSPORTATION BUDGET

• EDITORIAL: WA House’s prudent approach to transportation is the right one (The Seattle Times) $

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