Gov. Bob Ferguson on Wednesday signed Washington’s new operating budget, locking in a plan that mixes targeted new spending with substantial cuts and a hefty draw from the state’s reserves. The deal pairs aid for low income households, including help with utility bills and health insurance premiums, with moves to backfill federal funding losses to clinics and restore food benefits for immigrants who lost SNAP eligibility. Ferguson credited a close partnership with legislative leaders for getting the package over the finish line.
What’s In The Package
The budget steers $49 million into state food benefits for roughly 30,000 lawfully present immigrants who were removed from SNAP and sets aside about $15 million to replace Medicaid dollars lost by Planned Parenthood clinics. It also keeps the Cascade Care premium subsidy alive with roughly $55 million aimed at lowering premiums for eligible Affordable Care Act plans, according to the Office of the Governor.
Affordability And The Millionaires’ Tax
Ferguson is pitching the package as an affordability play, one that ties direct help for household bills to tax credits and premium subsidies. Analysts note the governor continues to back a millionaires’ tax, but collections from that proposal would not begin until 2029 and are not being used to close the current budget gap. That timeline was reported by The Urbanist.
Cuts, Rainy-Day Cash And The Math
To plug the more immediate hole, budget writers leaned on roughly $800 million in agency reductions and a $1 billion withdrawal from the state’s Rainy Day Fund, along with reallocations of unspent balances. The governor’s office says the mix of cuts, fund shifts and targeted investments is meant to soften the sharpest service impacts while keeping most new costs off working families, per the Office of the Governor.
Who Steered The Deal
Senate Ways & Means Chair June Robinson and House Appropriations Chair Timm Ormsby led budget work in their respective chambers, while vice chairs Derek Stanford, Noel Frame, Rep. Mia Gregerson and Rep. Nicole Macri helped shape committee negotiations. Committee rosters and leadership listings reflect those roles, as shown on BillTrack50 and in the Senate Democrats' office materials.
What Comes Next
Ferguson framed the signing as the start of the hard part. Agencies now move into implementation, finalizing allotments and carrying out the new spending and cuts, while lawmakers watch how the SNAP and Medicaid backfills roll out in practice. Critics warn the reductions could chip away at services, and advocates counter that the targeted clinic and food assistance backfills are badly needed. Early reactions were reported by the Washington State Standard, and the governor posted his announcement on Facebook.
