When Olympia says “working families,” they mean “get ready to pay more.”

Ferguson’s State of the State: Higher Taxes, Higher Prices, and a Goodbye to Affordability

Gov. Bob Ferguson’s State of the State address was essentially a warning label for Washingtonians: taxes are going up, affordability is going down, and Democrats think that’s a feature, not a bug. From a new “millionaire’s tax” to taxpayer-funded SNAP benefits for non-citizens, Ferguson’s priorities look completely detached from the daily realities of families trying to survive Washington’s already brutal cost of living.

His centerpiece proposal, the so-called “millionaire’s tax,” is just another attempt at imposing an unconstitutional income tax. Ferguson sold it as a way to “put money back in the pockets of Washingtonians,” but instead of lowering existing taxes on struggling families, he’s betting on driving high earners out of the state, shrinking the tax base, and deepening the budget hole. And once Democrats crack the door open to an income tax, no one should pretend it will stop with millionaires.

Ferguson also promised this tax would somehow “lower taxes on small businesses,” which is rich, considering he signed a budget last year that raised the Business and Occupation (B&O) tax. Since the B&O tax hits revenue, not profits, businesses pass those costs straight to consumers. Translation: higher taxes on businesses become higher prices for families. Inflation is already bad enough without Olympia adding lighter fluid.

Notably missing from Ferguson’s speech was any serious mention of the state’s multibillion-dollar budget shortfall. When his budget plan does show cuts, they hit higher education and rural schools with across-the-board reductions. But at the same time, his plan sets aside nearly $50 million to provide SNAP benefits to roughly 30,000 non-citizens. So while universities tighten their belts, illegal immigrants get taxpayer-funded groceries. That tells you exactly where the governor’s priorities lie.

Energy costs were another glaring failure. Washington drivers are paying more than a dollar above the national average for gas thanks to state taxes and the Climate Commitment Act. Energy bills for homes and businesses are soaring as traditional energy sources are pushed out. And somehow, in the middle of an energy affordability crisis, Democrats still want to tear down the Lower Snake River dams, wiping out a major source of reliable, baseload power equal to a nuclear plant.

Ferguson may have inherited a financial mess from Jay Inslee’s years of record spending and debt, but his response is to double down on the same policies that caused it: higher taxes, higher costs, and more government spending with less accountability.

In short, his State of the State wasn’t a roadmap to affordability or stability. It was a preview of a legislative session where working families pay more, energy gets scarcer, education gets cut, and Democrats call it “progress.” Read more at Center Square.

Democrats to Students: “Sorry Kids, We Prefer Leaving $732 Million on the Table”

Backers of House Joint Memorial 4013 are begging Gov. Bob Ferguson to opt Washington into a new federal K-12 scholarship tax-credit program that could send an estimated $732 million a year to families for education support. That money could be used for tutoring, special education services, curriculum, technology, enrichment programs, and yes—even public schools. The program targets working- and middle-class families earning up to 300% of area median income and could start in 2027.

Vicki Murray of the Washington Policy Center called it a “game changer,” noting it would allow Washingtonians to redirect their federal tax dollars back into Washington classrooms and claim up to $1,700 in federal tax credits. In other words: free money, local control, and families choosing what works best for their kids.

Naturally, Democrats hate it.

Superintendent Chris Reykdal and Senate Democrats immediately warned it would “divert” money from public schools, even though the program explicitly allows funds to be used for public education. Apparently, choice is the real threat.

House Democrat Monica Stonier brushed it off as a “letter to Santa Claus,” suggesting $732 million is basically imaginary money. Senate Majority Leader Jamie Pedersen called it a “giant diversion of resources,” because in Olympia logic, money that helps families is somehow stealing from schools.

Meanwhile, Reykdal is asking lawmakers for a $110 million “down payment” for education this year, while Democrats scoff at the chance to bring in more than six times that amount from the federal government.

So here we are: Republicans and education advocates point to $732 million that could transform tutoring, literacy, and student support statewide. Democrats respond by calling it symbolic, dangerous, or inconvenient.

When it comes to education funding, Democrats don’t seem to mind shortages—so long as the money doesn’t come with parent choice attached. Read more at Center Square.

Millions for Transit, Zero Proof It Works

Washington lawmakers keep expanding state subsidies for local transit through the Regional Mobility Grant Program, claiming it will cut driving and reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT). But WSDOT’s own performance report shows the program has mostly missed its targets.

Of 35 projects funded since 2013, most failed to hit their first-year VMT reduction goals, only three met their fourth-year targets, and over half never even reported long-term results. Some claims stretch credibility, like bus shelters supposedly cutting hundreds of thousands of driving miles, or projects showing massive VMT reductions while ridership barely increased.

Even worse for the narrative: statewide transit ridership has fallen nearly 20% over the last decade. If transit subsidies were supposed to reduce driving, the opposite trend suggests they aren’t working.

Now the governor wants even more money for the program in the 2026 supplemental budget, despite a billion-dollar annual transportation shortfall. Instead of fixing crumbling highways and bridges, Democrats are doubling down on grants that deliver big promises, tiny results, and almost no accountability. Read more at Washington Policy Center.

Democrats to ICE: “Lose the Mask, Risk Your Life”

The State Senate just passed a bill banning all law enforcement, including federal immigration agents, from wearing masks while interacting with the public. Gov. Bob Ferguson supports it, even as assaults, vehicular attacks, and death threats against ICE officers have exploded. Republicans pointed out officers aren’t hiding to scare people, they’re protecting themselves and their families from doxxing and violence.

Democrats claim masked agents “spread fear” and “traumatize communities,” while simultaneously pushing a slate of bills to obstruct federal immigration enforcement. Republicans called it unenforceable political theater and a distraction from the real issue: whether Democrats believe federal law should be enforced at all.

So at the exact moment officers face unprecedented danger, Olympia Democrats want them more visible, more vulnerable, and more expendable. Read more at Center Square.

Header: Ferguson Turns State Workers into His Political Mailing List

Gov. Bob Ferguson sent a mandatory all-employee email urging resistance to ICE, framing it as “not political” while outlining plans to mobilize the National Guard, expand staff, and escalate confrontation with federal immigration enforcement. State employees had no choice but to receive it, turning a workplace communication channel into a political broadcast.

One career state worker pushed back, accusing Ferguson of abusing his authority and forcing political advocacy on a captive audience. The employee reminded him that public service requires neutrality, not ideological compliance, and asked that future all-employee emails stick to actual workplace or emergency matters.

While Washington struggles with high taxes, housing costs, homelessness, and a shaky economy, Ferguson is spending his time and taxpayer resources gearing up for a symbolic showdown with ICE.

For at least one state worker, it wasn’t leadership. It was political theater—at everyone else’s expense. Read more at Seattle Red.

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