Editorial: With plans on table, time to start budget talks

By The Herald Editorial Board

We know now where each side stands.

Republicans in the state Senate have passed their budget, albeit by a narrow 25-24 vote. House Democrats also have released their budget and approved it Friday.

But as of last week, Republicans were balking at starting negotiations on the state’s two-year operating budget, whose main focus has been resolving a state Supreme Court mandate to amply fund K-12 education and end the state’s reliance on local school district property tax levies.

Republicans, whose budget imposes no new taxes, have insisted that Democrats in the House pass their proposed package of tax increases before moving forward with negotiations, calling the Democratic proposal a “hollow budget” without those votes.

ADVERTISEMENT
0 seconds of 0 secondsVolume 0%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
00:00
00:00
 

That process for the tax package is underway in the House, but it’s hard to understand why talks have to wait until then, especially considering that the regular session is scheduled to wrap up before the end of this month. There’s agreement on many overall goals, but there’s also some ground to cover between the two budgets, and talks need to start soon.

Senate Republicans have proposed adding $1.8 billion over the next two years for K-12 education, but to get there, they’ve proposed a budget that cuts social programs and some early education programs, makes significant changes to property taxes and rejects negotiated raises for state employees and lays off other state employees.

Beyond K-12 education, the Senate budget makes important investments in mental health, foster care and higher education. It seeks to add beds throughout the state to locate some patients closer to their families, expands and better supports the foster care system and increases enrollment at universities, particularly in STEM fields.

While the Senate budget does provide for increases in some programs it often funds those with cuts elsewhere.

In higher education, for example, it preserves at current levels both the State Need Grant and the Opportunity Scholarship programs that provide financial assistance to students, but does so at the expense of funding to the state’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families and WorkFirst programs.

And while providing funds for the Early Childhood Education Assistance Program, including an increase for enrollment of more 4-year-olds, it seeks deeper cuts by phasing out regular funding for enrollment of 3-year-olds.

House Democrats aren’t far from their Republican counterparts in how much they allocate for K-12 education, putting another $1.87 billion in their budget. But their plan preserves or increases social program spending, skips the levy swap proposed by the Senate, and instead relies on tax increases for their $44.6 billion budget, compared to the Senate’s $43 billion plan.

The House budget preserves the higher education tuition freeze and backfills funding to colleges, increases public health funding, expands early childhood education and increases funding for behavioral health, homeless assistance, long-term care, state employee raises, higher education scholarships and more.

The heavy lift for Democrats will be in persuading other lawmakers and the public on its proposed tax increases, including an increase in the business and occupation tax for professional services, a 7 percent excise tax on capital gains and adjustments to the real estate excise tax.

A selling point for the tax package will be its effect in beginning to pull back on the regressive nature of the state’s current tax system, considered one of the most regressive in the nation because it taxes lower income families at a higher percentage of their income than more affluent families.

Each of the tax increases makes provisions that shift the burden off lower-income taxpayers and small businesses.

The capital gains tax, which will apply to profits from stocks, bonds and investment properties in excess of $25,000 for individuals and $50,000 for joint filers, includes provisions to exclude retirement accounts and the sale of farmland. The B&O tax changes would exempt gross annual receipts under $250,000 — helpful to small businesses; provides some discounts for those with receipts between $250,000 to $500,000; and increases rates for those with receipts above $500,000. Real estate excise taxes would decrease for properties valued under $250,000 and would increase for those assessed at $1 million or more.

There are worthy proposals in both budgets; ample funding for education, programs that help families and provide for healthy communities, find savings and seek the wise use of taxpayer resources.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Opinion

June 11, 2025: Tear Gaslighting
Editorial cartoons for Thursday, June 12

A sketchy look at the news of the day.… Continue reading

In a gathering similar to many others across the nation on Presidents Day, hundreds lined Broadway with their signs and chants to protest the Trump administration Monday evening in Everett. (Aaron Kennedy / Daily Herald)
Editorial: Let’s remember the ‘peaceably’ part of First Amendment

Most of us understand the responsibilities of free speech; here’s how we remind President Trump.

Will public get a vote on downtown Everett stadium?

I see The Herald is enthusiastic about the push to build a… Continue reading

How are Trump’s actions the ‘will of the people’?

Calling up the National Guard is usually done in concert with a… Continue reading

Call constitutional convention for balanced budget amendment

Congress has not managed the federal purse well. We have been running… Continue reading

Comment: So much for RFK Jr.’s pledge of ‘choice’ on vaccines

His latest action confirms his intention to delist specific vaccines, making them less affordable.

Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer testifies during a budget hearing before a House Appropriations subcommittee on Capitol Hill in Washington on Thursday, May 15, 2025. (Al Drago/The New York Times)
Editorial: Ending Job Corps a short-sighted move by White House

If it’s jobs the Trump administration hopes to bring back to the U.S., it will need workers to fill them.

A rendering of possible configuration for a new multi-purpose stadium in downtown Everett. (DLR Group)
Editorial: Latest ballpark figures drive hope for new stadium

A lower estimate for the project should help persuade city officials to move ahead with plans.

A rendering of the new vessels to be built for Washington State Ferries. (Washington State Ferries)
Editorial: Local shipyard should get shot to build state ferries

If allowed to build at least two ferries, Nichols Brothers can show the value building here offers.

THis is an editorial cartoon by Michael de Adder . Michael de Adder was born in Moncton, New Brunswick. He studied art at Mount Allison University where he received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in drawing and painting. He began his career working for The Coast, a Halifax-based alternative weekly, drawing a popular comic strip called Walterworld which lampooned the then-current mayor of Halifax, Walter Fitzgerald. This led to freelance jobs at The Chronicle-Herald and The Hill Times in Ottawa, Ontario.

 

After freelancing for a few years, de Adder landed his first full time cartooning job at the Halifax Daily News. After the Daily News folded in 2008, he became the full-time freelance cartoonist at New Brunswick Publishing. He was let go for political views expressed through his work including a cartoon depicting U.S. President Donald Trump’s border policies. He now freelances for the Halifax Chronicle Herald, the Toronto Star, Ottawa Hill Times and Counterpoint in the USA. He has over a million readers per day and is considered the most read cartoonist in Canada.

 

Michael de Adder has won numerous awards for his work, including seven Atlantic Journalism Awards plus a Gold Innovation Award for news animation in 2008. He won the Association of Editorial Cartoonists' 2002 Golden Spike Award for best editorial cartoon spiked by an editor and the Association of Canadian Cartoonists 2014 Townsend Award. The National Cartoonists Society for the Reuben Award has shortlisted him in the Editorial Cartooning category. He is a past president of the Association of Canadian Editorial Cartoonists and spent 10 years on the board of the Cartoonists Rights Network.
Editorial cartoons for Wednesday, June 11

A sketchy look at the news of the day.… Continue reading

Marcus Tageant (Courtesy of City of Lake Stevens)
Welch: Marcus Tageant embodied the spirit of Lake Stevens

I served with Marcus on the city council, witnessing an infectious devotion to his community.

Comment: Anti-‘woke’ crusades by Hegseth, Rubio petty, dangerous

Focused on renaming ships and scrubbing websites, the department heads risk their distraction.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.