Washington Democrats are gearing up for tax hikes, using last month’s failed ballot initiatives as a flimsy excuse to justify their fiscal mismanagement. Despite facing a $10-12 billion deficit, they’ve interpreted the rejection of measures to repeal their carbon credit auctions, capital gains tax, and long-term care tax as voter approval of their tax-and-spend agenda. Senate Majority Leader Jamie Pedersen and House Majority Leader Joe Fitzgibbon seem to think voters are eager for more taxes, with Pedersen floating the idea of a wealth tax on those with $50 million or more. Fitzgibbon doubled down, claiming Washingtonians want “investments” in education, long-term care, and a “sustainable” environment—conveniently ignoring the billions already wasted on those fronts.

Republicans, however, are pushing back. House Minority Caucus Chair Peter Abbarno rightly pointed out the massive funding disparity between anti-initiative and pro-initiative campaigns, with the former outspending the latter by $40 million to $2 million. Meanwhile, Rep. Chris Corry criticized Democrats’ push for taxing unrealized gains, warning it would drive innovators and investors out of the state and hurt the economy long-term. Even the Democrats’ beloved wealth tax, proposed earlier this year as SB 5486, failed to pass the legislature—a clear sign that not everyone shares their appetite for soaking the wealthy.

Democrats are ignoring the real issue: their reckless spending habits. Instead of addressing the root causes of the budget shortfall, they’re doubling down on failed policies and planning to raid taxpayers’ wallets even more. With the 2025 legislative session around the corner, Washington residents can brace for yet another round of creative ways to pay for their government’s financial mess. Read more at Center Square.

Washington Democrats are so deep in the red they can’t even agree on just how bad it is. Governor Inslee’s team first claimed the state faces a $10-12 billion deficit through 2029, only to later toss out a $14 billion figure during a Board of Education meeting—before awkwardly walking it back. Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Jamie Pedersen stirred the pot by casually sticking to the $14 billion claim, despite no official confirmation. At the heart of this fiscal mess is Democrats’ insatiable spending, including a record-breaking $4 billion collective bargaining agreement with state employees who already out-earn private-sector workers in nearly every county.

Republicans like Sen. John Braun rightly point out the state doesn’t have a revenue problem—it has a spending addiction, with new policies eating up billions we simply can’t afford. Instead of tightening the purse strings, Democrats are setting the stage for tax hikes to fund their bloated priorities. While they quibble over numbers, taxpayers are left bracing for the fallout of their reckless fiscal mismanagement. Read more at Center Square.

Insurance premiums in Washington are skyrocketing, and Democrats’ inflation-driving policies and regulatory overreach are squarely to blame. Industry reps explained that rising costs for car repairs and home rebuilding, fueled by inflation, are driving premiums through the roof. Democrats’ relentless push for burdensome regulations—like new rules forcing insurers to send rate explanations—only adds to the chaos, increasing expenses for providers and passing the pain to consumers. Home and auto insurance rates have soared 21.7% and 17.5% respectively, with no immediate relief in sight. While other states like California and Florida (in the latter’s case, largely due to recent natural disasters) are drowning in last-resort policies, Washington isn’t far behind, thanks to Democratic policies that prioritize red tape over affordability. Once again, Washingtonians get stuck footing the bill for the left’s disastrous economic and regulatory agenda. Read more at the Washington State Standard.

Washington’s wind power experiment hit a standstill after Thanksgiving when wind generation on the BPA system flatlined for over nine days, producing just a laughable 0.1% of customer demand. This wasn’t an isolated fluke—wind power vanished for over 1,500 hours this year, leaving hydropower to save the day. Politicians keep touting wind energy as the future, but adding more turbines won’t fix the fundamental issue: no wind, no power. Worse, as the Washington Policy Center points out, over-reliance on wind could make hydropower less efficient as dam managers prioritize shortages over optimization. As electricity demand grows, state leaders would be wise to focus on reliable energy sources before Washingtonians find themselves in the dark. Read more at the Washington Policy Center.

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