On January 13, we gaveled into legislative session in Olympia facing a $16 billion budget gap. On April 27, we gaveled out with a balanced budget, as our state constitution requires. On May 20, Governor Ferguson signed the budget into law.
As your state representative, I want to share how I approached the shortfall and advocated for Kitsap every step of the way.
First, some background: I was blessed to grow up here in Kitsap in a working family. My parents worked hard to raise three kids and, like many families, we struggled to make ends meet. It was stressful to pay the mortgage, to buy groceries, to fill up the gas tank. Childcare was so expensive that my mom took six years off work.
Rep. Greg Nance of Washington’s 26th District
At the same time, we had great public schools and ballfields where I learned and played. We had a reliable ferry system my dad counted on to get to work each day. We had excellent healthcare anchored by Harrison Hospital and the Naval Hospital, so when my Grandpa Charlie got sick, we could care for him locally.
During this legislative session, I’ve held these memories close. Every decision I make as your representative is through the lens of how we can best support Kitsap’s working families, Kitsap’s youth, and Kitsap’s seniors.
Given the record budget shortfall, I knew we’d face tough choices. I’m a frugal guy and appreciate fiscal responsibility. We’ve all gotta live within our means, including the state government. With my team, we reviewed each proposed expenditure to find savings and efficiencies to ensure we’re getting real value from every dollar. Unlike Congress, we cannot simply print money to pay for critical services.
I couldn’t stomach balancing the budget entirely with new taxes and fees. That’s a reckless approach that hurts hardworking Washingtonians and leads to wasteful spending.
And I couldn’t agree to an all-cuts budget. The cuts to schools, seniors, healthcare, housing, and foodbanks would be devastating for neighbors in need.
Instead of picking the extremes, I chose a balanced approach.
But before I agreed to a dime in new taxes, I wanted to ensure Kitsap taxpayers are getting bang for our buck. And I wanted to make sure that new revenue was fair, because we’ve all gotta pay our fair share but for decades working families have actually paid more than billionaires in our state.
So I pushed back against the initial B&O tax hike which would have raised taxes on small businesses grossing over $1 million annually. The proposal was amended to a $5 million threshold, saving hundreds of Kitsap’s small businesses from a tax hike we can’t afford.
I voted against some proposals that I thought were too extreme, including a proposal to backtrack on promised pensions for retirees. I also opposed the “JumpStart” payroll tax which would have taxed new jobs and slowed economic growth when we need it most.
Which proposals did I support? I voted to increase capital gains taxes on profits of stock and bond sales over $1 million to better support K-12 education and early learning. I also voted to close several loopholes to support a fairer tax system — ending tax breaks for computing giants and large banks, and ending exclusions for the sale of gold bullion, nicotine products like Zyn pouches, and the “Tesla Tax” on electric vehicle credits. In total, these tweaks for a fairer tax system will generate $11.8 billion over four years.
And in the end, we passed a balanced state budget that brought big bipartisan wins for Kitsap.
Here are three highlights:
$485 million to fund reliable ferry service including vessel construction and maintenance, and crew recruitment and training. Funds will also modernize WSF ticketing, reservations, and provide onboard WiFi.
$18.4 million for Suquamish Tribe Opiate Treatment Clinic in Poulsbo to provide life-saving support services, counseling, and hope and healing for those who need it most.
$42 million for West Sound Tech campus modernization to train Washington’s workforce in skilled, high-wage careers. The initial budget proposed $0, but students, alumni, and staff visited the capitol to advocate and wrote over 100 letters to budget writers. I’m proud of our community coming together to make this investment happen.
The 2025 budget isn’t perfect but it helps us make progress by defending our shared values, supporting our most vulnerable, and making vital investments for our future. It also provides our state a stronger fiscal foundation to address challenges looming on the horizon.
I want to thank everyone who took the time to call, email, visit Olympia, or take part in a townhall. Your voice matters and it helps me deliver for our Kitsap community.
Rep. Greg Nance represents the 23rd District, which includes Bainbridge Island, North Kitsap, parts of Central Kitsap and Bremerton, in the Washington State House of Representatives.
This article originally appeared on Kitsap Sun: Kitsap is a big winner in state budget