Gov. Jay Inslee is “cautiously optimistic” that state legislators will approve his proposed 2024 supplemental budget released Wednesday. Inslee met with The Columbian’s Editorial Board Friday to discuss the specifics of the budget.
Inslee said the proposed $70.9 billion supplement to the operating budget is focused on addressing the state’s shortage of behavioral health facilities, housing for the homeless, education, fighting fentanyl and building a clean energy economy.
Although state lawmakers already approved a 2023-2025 biennial budget during last year’s legislative session, they will consider adjustments during the 2024 session, which begins Jan. 8.
Rather than relying on new taxes, Inslee said funding for expanded and continuing programs will come from existing revenue sources, particularly the capital gains tax and Climate Commitment Act funds.
Clean energy and gas prices
While the Climate Commitment Act has faced sharp criticism, especially from Republicans, Inslee is standing behind the effort, claiming it is already benefiting the state’s residents.
“Our Climate Commitment Act has allowed us to do a lot for a lot of people. It’s allowed us to have 8 million rides already for kids for free on transit. … It’s allowed us to start buying heat pumps for people. It’s allowed us to buy electric buses, and it’s going to allow us to help about 2 million Washingtonians with their utility bills,” the governor said.
That assistance with utility bills will come in the form of a $200 credit to low- and moderate-income residents to offset high electrical energy costs.
Legislators will be asked to approve nearly $900 million from Climate Commitment Act monies to pay for new electric school buses, electric ferries, vehicle charging stations, salmon recovery, adding heat pumps to affordable housing and improving air quality, among others. Inslee said he wants to focus matching federal grants to build a clean energy economy.
While Inslee may be looking ahead, he’s still facing backlash over high gas prices at the pump after new taxes from the Climate Commitment Act went into effect this year. But Inslee said there’s more behind the state’s higher gas prices than taxes.
“We’re trying to reduce pollution. We should not allow one industry to pollute our children’s lungs in infinite amounts. We’ve got to put a limit on their pollution,” Inslee said.
The governor also said the oil industry shouldn’t be allowed to make record profits — more than $200 billion in 2022 — while polluting the environment and then expect taxpayers to foot the bill.
Behavioral health and housing
Help for the ongoing shortage of behavioral health facilities, beds and staffing across the state is a high priority for Inslee.
“It’s largely a continuation of our original budget from last year with increased resources for the things that we can do,” Inslee said.
Inslee has proposed an increase of $464 million in spending to address the state’s shortage of behavioral health facilities, with 110 new treatment beds to be added.
“Basically, we’ve said we’re going to move as fast as we can to build as many beds as we can, in as many places as we can and staff it with as many people as we can and then figure out how to pay for it. And that’s what we did,” Inslee said.
As for the state’s ongoing homelessness crisis, Inslee said the need for assistance isn’t going away.
“We’re out of money in our right-of-way effort that’s been very successful to date, removing 30 encampments down (Interstate 5), I-405 and I-90,” Inslee said. “We’re asking the Legislature to continue that effort.”
Inslee’s proposal would take $100 million from the capital budget to continue funding the Rapid Capital Housing Acquisition fund created in 2021. The fund allows state agencies to partner with local jurisdictions to quickly open new shelters and housing units.
Education needs
The governor is looking to increase funding for K-12 and special education, including money to build new schools and a $3-an-hour pay raise for paraeducators.
“Wages have really not been adequate to inspire to come in and stay in the profession,” Inslee said. “This is important in all classrooms, but it’s particularly important for kids with special needs where paraeducators provide that one-on-one help for them in the classroom.”
Inslee said the proposal also increases the amount of extra funding school districts receive per special education student. In addition, the governor wants school districts to be able to increase the number of children that can be categorized as special education students from 15 percent to 17¼ percent.
Detailed budget information is available from the Office of Financial Management at https://t.ly/bS86-.
