11th LD 2025 Budget & Government Efficiency Survey

From the Office of Rep. Steve Bergquist

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* 1. Which 11th LD community do you live in?

Renton

Tukwila

Kent

Fairwood

Unincorporated Seattle

Other (please specify)

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* 2. The state is facing a $12-$15 billion budget deficit, with various proposals to reduce or delay funding for programs and services. Governor Ferguson has identified $4 billion in cuts, building on the $2 billion in reductions proposed by former Governor Inslee in December. This still leaves a $6-10 billion gap that must be addressed through additional reductions, spending delays, or new revenue sources.

Considering cuts, please select up to three areas you'd be most willing to cut spending in:

$4 billion in Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBA's) & Cost of Living Adjustments (COLA's) for public employees.

$3.5 billion in healthcare funding over four years, eliminating or reducing services like Foundational Public Health, Medicaid pharmacy coverage, Apple Health expansion, adult dental, school-based health services, and durable medical equipment.

$1.5 billion from long-term care and developmental disabilities services, reducing senior housing support, capping personal care services, freezing provider rates, and limiting community transition support.

$1.3 billion from human services over four years, reducing funding for TANF, ABD, food assistance, senior nutrition, and early childhood education programs.

$1 billion from higher education over four years, reducing funding for colleges, scholarships, and programs like WSU’s Native American Scholarship and EWU’s dental therapy education.

$376 million from key corrections programs, including body scanners for contraband prevention, healthcare staffing, opioid treatment, reentry housing vouchers, and solitary confinement reduction.

$365 million from substance use disorder treatment and behavioral health training, including Tribal facility services, opioid treatment in corrections, personal care services, and UW’s Behavioral Health Teaching Facility.

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* 3. Considering cuts, please select up to three areas you'd be least willing to cut spending in:

$4 billion in Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBA's) & Cost of Living Adjustments (COLA's) for public employees.

$1.3 billion from human services over four years, reducing funding for TANF, ABD, food assistance, senior nutrition, and early childhood education programs.

$1 billion from higher education over four years, reducing funding for colleges, scholarships, and programs like WSU’s Native American Scholarship and EWU’s dental therapy education.

$376 million from key corrections programs, including body scanners for contraband prevention, healthcare staffing, opioid treatment, reentry housing vouchers, and solitary confinement reduction.

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* 4. The state is considering multiple revenue and budget related proposals to address the budget shortfall, rising public service needs, inflation, and slowed revenue growth. Below are some proposals that have been introduced. Additional proposes may be introduced later in session that are not included on this list.

Select up to three proposals you support the most:

HB 1319 - Former Gov. Inslee's proposal enacting a wealth tax on intangible financial property would bring in $10.3 billion over the next 4 years.

HB 1320 - Former Gov. Inslee's proposal modifying B&O tax rates to fund programs and services would bring in $2.6 billion over the next 4 years.

SB 5085 - Merging LEOFF1, TRS 1, and PRS 1 into a new Legacy Retirement System would reduce the deficit between $1-3 billion over the next 4 years.

HB 1334 - Linking the property-tax cap to population growth and inflation and raising the limit on annual increases from 1% to 3% would bring in $818 million over the next 4 years.

HB 1839 - Increasing the investments in our workforce by amending the advanced computing surcharge would bring in $635 million over the next 4 years.

HB 2019 - Making the Estate Tax more progressive would bring in $557 million over the next 4 years.

HB 1485 - Suspending the national board for professional standards certification bonuses for certificated instructional staff would reduce spending by about $300 million over the next 4 years.

HB 1907 - Defining the rental of individual storage space at self-service storage facilities as a retail transaction would bring in $147 million over the next 4 years.

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* 5. From the same list of proposals, select up to three choices you support the least: