On Tuesday, the press pelted Democratic Gov. Bob Ferguson with pointed questions on how $9.4 billion in new taxes over 4 years would influence 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 yr he can be “inheriting” a Gordian knot of a funds predicament.
These excuses finish now. Together 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 factors tax, he additionally wholeheartedly embraced a rushed new Christmas tree of a gross sales tax on companies that may harm customers, companies, nonprofits and the economic 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 lately as October.
This “was not the way in which I wished to begin as governor,” Ferguson mentioned.
Although he had proposed restricted furloughs for state staff to help with the dire circumstances, state workers have been the massive winners, preserving their 5% enhance over 4 years.
In the meantime, the funds reduce help for foster kids, college bound college students, financial aid and walloped hospitals not solely with larger 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 dealing with 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 applications could also be within the offing. Ferguson properly condemned a transfer by Senate Democrats to raid the wet day fund this yr. However the monetary storm clouds will persist.
Lastly, the governor has dedicated to leaning in to the Okay-12 schooling system — the state’s paramount obligation. That features discovering options to bolster lagging scholar achievement and reforming the sclerotic way K-12 is funded.
The governor has but to disclose absolutely his management playbook. It’s onerous 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 legislation Tuesday billions of {dollars} in new taxes.
So what’s going to Ferguson make his signature subject? Mike McClanahan, host of TVW’s “The Influence,” posed that very question to the first-year governor in a quick 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 simpler and conscious of residents.
“As a authorities, we have to work for the folks in a extra environment friendly means,” Ferguson mentioned.
The Legislature certainly plugged in $100 million in grant funding on this yr’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, except you rely priorities lawmakers already supposed (comparable to a file $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 palms. Its successes and failures relaxation on his shoulders.
Gov. Ferguson, the buck now stops with you.
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