Baumgartner and Padden join bipartisan coalition to dump budget gimmicks and keep spending in line with revenue
Early this morning, the Washington State Senate approved its operating budget with a bipartisan vote of 25 to 24, with three Democrats joining all 22 Republican members. The bipartisan reform-based plan rebalances the budget adopted last year in a sustainable manner that will keep the Legislature from having to deal with another budget crisis next year.
“For fifty-three days, the people of Washington waited patiently for the Senate majority to do its job and produce a fiscally responsible budget,” said Sen. Michael Baumgartner, R-Spokane. “Today members of the Senate Republican Caucus, along with a handful of reform-minded Democrats, finally delivered. The reform budget passed tonight builds upon the bipartisan, reform-oriented budget we produced last year; it spends less money than it expects to take in and provides for an ample reserve; most importantly, it will do so without major gimmicks or tax increases.”
Sen. Mike Padden, R-Spokane Valley, agreed.