Only Democrats could hike taxes to record highs and still end up in the red.

Bob Ferguson’s Math Problem: $9 Billion in New Taxes, $421 Million in Debt

Washington state’s latest revenue forecast is a flashing red light that tax-and-spend politics simply don’t work. After Democrats rammed through the largest tax increase in state history—over $9 billion—the state is now staring down a $421 million deficit. One of the centerpiece revenue schemes, a sales tax on digital ads, is already being challenged by Comcast for violating federal law. In other words, the “solution” isn’t even legal.

Yet instead of facing the problem head-on, Gov. Bob Ferguson appears content to twiddle his thumbs, with his budget office issuing a bland “we’ll see” statement while the red ink spreads. Contrast that with Idaho, where Gov. Brad Little immediately implemented a 3% budget holdback when revenues softened—all while protecting K-12 funding. Little put it bluntly: Idaho’s strength comes from balancing budgets, cutting taxes, and right-sizing government. Meanwhile, Washington Democrats keep proving that overspending plus overtaxing equals economic decline.

Jason Mercier, Vice President and Director of Research at the Mountain States Policy Center, summed it up: the Evergreen State’s budget woes are a direct result of failing to live within its means. Even with revenues projected to grow in coming years, Olympia still manages to run deficits because spending outpaces common sense. Wash

ington doesn’t need another tax hike—it needs leadership willing to rein in the bloated budget before the fiscal hole gets even deeper. Read more at Center Square.

Tax Hikes, Empty Coffers, and Bob Ferguson’s “Wait and See” Budgeting

As reported above, Washington’s budget crisis just keeps getting worse. Back in June, the state’s revenue forecast warned that despite record-high revenues and the largest tax increase in state history, Olympia would be flat broke by 2027. Now, the Economic and Revenue Forecast Council says nearly $900 million in expected revenue has vanished over the next four years, thanks to a slowing economy, fewer housing starts, and national headwinds. That’s on top of a looming $1 billion liability in tort claims.

Republican Rep. Travis Couture (R-Allyn) urged Gov. Bob Ferguson’s office to start cutting expenses now—just like even Jay Inslee eventually had to do. But instead of decisive action, Ferguson’s budget team is talking about “digging in” and sending agencies memos asking them to find “efficiencies.” Translation: they’ll paper over the hole until it becomes a canyon.

Let’s not forget: this crisis was made in Olympia. After blowing through billions with record spending levels, Democrats passed a $9 billion tax hike in 2025, promising stability. Instead, Washington now faces what some state officials admit is “the worst budget crisis we have ever had.” Revenues may still technically be growing, but Democrats’ addiction to spending means it’s never enough. When 20% of your tax base comes from construction and permits are at decade-low levels, the math doesn’t add up—unless, of course, you’re Bob Ferguson. Then you just pretend it does. Read more at Center Square.

The Left’s Democracy Double Standard: Preach It, Then Trash It

For all their chest-thumping about “threats to democracy,” the Left is busy proving they’re the real threat. Let’s Go Washington reports that signature gatherers for initiatives on parental rights and protecting girls’ sports have been harassed, threatened, and outright robbed across the state. In Vancouver, a Fred Meyer manager blocked petitioners with shopping carts. In Tacoma, vandals scribbled over petitions before threatening to “beat” the gatherer. In another incident, thieves made off with up to 160 signatures—stealing voters’ voices in the process.

This isn’t just bad behavior—it’s a gross violation of Article II, Section 1 of the Washington Constitution and the First Amendment. As CADF’s Brian Heywood explained, activists aren’t trying to win at the ballot box. They’re trying to make sure voters never even get a chance to weigh in.

Pierce County Sheriff Keith Swank isn’t looking the other way. He promised a task force to arrest “radical leftist” thugs engaged in political violence. That’s leadership: drawing the line between free speech and criminal intimidation.

The hypocrisy couldn’t be clearer. The same crowd that chants about “protecting democracy” is vandalizing petitions, threatening workers, and stealing signatures. And when they steal petitions, they’re not just silencing initiatives—they’re endangering voters whose personal information is now in hostile hands.

The reality is simple: if Democrats actually believed in democracy, they’d let the people decide. Instead, they’re panicking because Let’s Go Washington’s initiatives have broad, bipartisan support. Harassment and intimidation aren’t the tools of democracy—they’re the tactics of desperation. Read more at Seattle Red.

Potholes for You, Free Land for Them

State Sen. Curtis King, R-Yakima, has had enough of Olympia’s shell game with your gas tax dollars. On Wednesday, he filed a lawsuit against House Bill 1774, a new law that lets the Washington State Department of Transportation lease unused highway lands to governments and nonprofits—at below-market rates—if bureaucrats decide it serves the vague notion of “community benefit.” Translation: instead of paving roads, your highway funds can now subsidize pet projects.

The Citizen Action Defense Fund, representing King, argues the scheme violates the state constitution by gifting taxpayer-owned property away and ignoring the Highway Purposes Clause, which mandates those dollars and lands be used only for roads. CADF’s executive director Jackson Maynard didn’t mince words: Washington has some of the worst roads in the country, and instead of filling potholes or expanding capacity, Democrats are funneling resources to nonprofits that already rake in billions with little to show for it.

Supporters claim the law will help solve housing and public space needs, but taxpayers were promised their billions in gas taxes and vehicle fees would maintain highways—not bankroll side projects. This lawsuit seeks to stop WSDOT from turning road funds into another slush pile for Olympia’s social engineering. Read more at Center Square.

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