OLYMPIA – Rep. Timm Ormsby (D-Spokane), chair of the House Appropriations Committee, released the following statement regarding today’s revenue forecast:
“This forecast continues the trend that we have seen over the past year. With these increased projections, I continue to be guardedly optimistic that the state can continue to provide essential services and invest in vital programs, such as child care, K-12 education, and efforts to support our most vulnerable families and children.
“There is still significant uncertainty and economic risk during this uneven economic recovery, where corporations and the wealthiest Washingtonians are thriving and working families and small businesses are struggling to stay afloat. With the continued risk of variants, supply chain issues, and inflation, we must be careful about assuming any forecast is written in stone. It is not. Forecasts can change quickly and a fully funded budget should be sustainable.
“You’ve heard me say this before: the budget is not just numbers on a spreadsheet. We have an unfair, inequitable tax structure that burdens working families far more than the wealthiest in our state. We need to ensure that the state is using dollars collected to best serve those at the bottom of the economic scale. These families just want a chance at a better life and state leaders must invest in sustainable improvements in services to help our communities thrive.”
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