Radio Report: House approves partisan state operating budget, 57-40, as Republicans vote ‘no’

April 4, 2023

The Washington House of Representatives passed a record 70-billion-dollar state operating budget Monday night on a party-line vote, with Republicans voting “no.” John Sattgast reports from Olympia.

SATTGAST: House Appropriations Ranking Member Drew Stokesbary said the proposed two-year spending plan could have been a better budget had majority Democrats included House Republicans.

STOKESBARY: “We represent about three-million people on this side of the aisle. And to say that we only get to suggest 50 out of the 15-hundred policy-level additions in the budget, I think is insufficient.”

SATTGAST: During the four-plus hour debate, Democrats rejected most Republican amendments, including one from Puyallup Representative Kelly Chambers to fund law enforcement retention and recruitment bonuses.

CHAMBERS: “At a time when we have record murder rates, record car thefts, and trained, qualified, experienced leaving our state in droves, we're not doing enough to retain those officers and attract new ones.”

SATTGAST: Republican Assistant Budget Leader Chris Corry warned what's left in the state's rainy-day fund may not carry the state through hard times.

CORRY: “We're seeing storm clouds on our fiscal horizon, not just here in Washington state, but across this country. And we are woefully under prepared for them.”

SATTGAST: House and Senate budget leaders now must reconcile their differences into one state operating budget to be adopted before session ends April 23rd.

John Sattgast, the state Capitol.