Hayes statement on passage of state operating budget
Just one day before the end of the state's two-year budget cycle, the House and Senate approved a $38 billion operating budget. Tenth District State Rep. Dave Hayes, R-Camano Island, voted in favor of the two-year budget, which takes effect July 1. He released this statement following the vote:
“Our chief priority this year was to do no harm to our taxpayers and save them from the 
enormous tax increases of more than one-point-five billion dollars that House Democrats and Governor Inslee wanted. We were successful in preventing these massive tax increases.
“We saved our constituents from a carbon tax. We saved them from a capital gains tax. We're investing an additional one-point-three billion dollars in K through 12 education. Teachers are getting cost-of-living adjustments and a bonus that will help to improve their livelihoods. We're further investing in collective bargaining agreements with cost-of-living increases for state employees. And we keep a responsible balance in the state's rainy day fund in case of future economic downturns. Those are all huge wins.
“While not everyone got what they wanted in this compromise package, this is a good, stable, predictable and sustainable budget that I'm pleased to support. I'm also proud of our Republican leadership team for protecting taxpayers from what could have been the largest tax increase in state history.”
The budget measure, Senate Bill 6052, passed the House, 90-8, and the Senate, 38-10. It now goes to the governor for his consideration.
