Olympia Update

OLYMPIA–With the beginning of the 2025 legislative session, the reign of Gov. Jay Inslee has come to an end. Many legislators on both sides of the aisle, as well as many of you, are encouraged by this fact. The State of the State speech given by new Gov. Bob Ferguson was even more encouraging.

The difference between the two governors could not be more evident than their outgoing and incoming speeches given this week in the Legislature. While Inslee took jabs at Republicans and listed his greatest accomplishments as the climate tax, a capital gains tax, and a ban on semiautomatic firearms, incoming Gov. Ferguson said plainly, "I'm not here to defend government. I'm here to reform it."

In addition, Ferguson said he wants to work with Republican lawmakers to ensure farmers get the money and fuel tax exemption promised to them when Inslee's climate tax was enacted. While Inslee continued to reject our efforts, the new governor acknowledges the need to make farmers whole, something I've worked on since being made aware of the problem two years ago.

Ferguson also wants to work with us to increase the number of law enforcement officers in our state, recognizing our need for safe streets. Washington has the lowest number of law enforcement per capita than any other state in the U.S.

He wants to prioritize spending instead of massive tax increases (as legislative Democrats are wanting) to fix our budget deficit. He stopped just short of repeating our Republican mantra of "We don't have a revenue problem, we have a spending problem," but his words and emphasis on streamlining state government were encouraging. In his speech he said:

"We cannot simply assume that government's role is to do everything it has always done, while continuing to add new programs and responsibilities every year. That's not smart. And it's not sustainable."

House and Senate Republicans stood and cheered this statement as it parrots what we've been saying for decades! Most Democrats, however, sat with arms folded, creased brows, and looks of befuddlement at the tone of this new governor.

Ferguson is also creating a housing task force to give recommendations on making housing more affordable, saying in his speech that permits related to construction/housing need to be delivered on time! He said he will direct state agencies to review regulations related to housing and construction. Again, something House Republicans have advocated for in the past.

And in contrast to Inslee's jabs at Trump, Ferguson said:

"We will work with President Trump where we can. We will stand up to him when we must."

I think House and Senate Republicans would echo that sentiment when it comes to new Gov. Bob Ferguson. Yes, talk is cheap. Yes, we must "Trust but verify," as President Ronald Reagan said. But we should be willing to work with him when we can, and stand up to him when we must. Our job in the Legislature is to hold him accountable to his words.

While I'm under no illusions that Gov. Ferguson has changed his stripes and has joined the Big Tent Party, it is refreshing to at least hear and see some willingness to work with others rather than the tightfisted grip on power that we saw with Inslee.

When we care more about the quality of ideas and less about the origins of those ideas, all Washingtonians will be better off. Here's to hoping the new governor will live up to his words and embrace proposed solutions from both sides of the aisle.

(Rep. Joe Schmick has represented the state's 9th Legislative District since 2007. He is the ranking member on the House Health Care and Wellness Committee.)