Payroll stub beats jobless check

As lawmakers meeting in Olympia wind up the 2025 session, they face a whopping $15 billion budget deficit—a situation they must address before adjourning and going home.

Unlike Congress, state legislators and Gov. Bob Ferguson cannot authorize deficit spending or borrowing to the fund state government. They either raise taxes and fees; or cut costs programs and people.

Washington is primarily funded by sales, property, specialized taxes (such as unemployment, workers compensation and fuel), and gross receipt (business and occupation) taxes — a high percentage of which are paid by business.

The...