OLYMPIA – Senate Republicans released their $ave Washington budget proposal Tuesday, proving the state budget that lawmakers must adopt for 2025-27 can be balanced without new taxes—despite a multibillion-dollar shortfall.

Senate Republican Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, issued this statement about the Republican budget and Democrats’ push for billions in new and higher taxes:

“We’re being told the state faces a $10–$15 billion deficit, that tax increases are the only way out, and that failing to raise taxes would lead to catastrophic consequences for the most vulnerable. None of it is true.

“Our budget would take a better, more honest approach. Nonpartisan staff place the shortfall at $6.6 billion. Democrats inflate the shortfall to include $4 billion for worker pay raises negotiated by former Governor Jay Inslee when the state still had a surplus. The financial landscape has changed, and those raises are no longer feasible.

“Instead, the $ave Washington budget provides each of these employees with a $5,000 bonus, split evenly over two years. This is a more progressive solution: Employees earning under $80,000 come out ahead with the bonus after those two years, compared to the negotiated pay raises, which favor those with higher salaries.

“At a time when Washingtonians are struggling to afford the basics, forcing them to pay higher taxes just to fund $4 billion in raises—disproportionately benefiting higher-paid employees—only serves public-employee unions, not the people.”