Survey: Washingtonians pessimistic about state’s spending of taxpayer money

(The Center Square) – A new survey of Washington state voters reveals a majority don’t trust lawmakers to spend taxpayer money wisely.

A recent statewide poll by Fulcrum Strategic and EMC Research interviewed 600 registered Washington voters in January about their views on taxes and the state economy. The survey was commissioned by the Association of Washington Business, Bellevue Chamber of Commerce, Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, and Washington Roundtable.

This survey comes as the Legislature faces a budget shortfall at a time when state coffers have been full over the last several years.

Some Democrats have said Washington state faces a projected operating budget shortfall of $10 billion to $16 billion over the next four years. However, the Office of Program Research, made up of nonpartisan staff for the Washington State House of Representatives, has estimated a budget shortfall of $6.7 billion for the 2027-2029 biennium.

According to the survey, 71% of voters are concerned about the state’s economy and the availability of good paying jobs.

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The survey reveals that voters are also pessimistic about state lawmakers properly utilizing tax dollars. Nearly 80% of voters believe the state has enough money to address its top priorities. Yet, 65% of voters distrust lawmakers to spend their tax dollars responsibly.

The survey results did not surprise Bellevue Chamber of Commerce CEO Joe Fain, who said Washingtonians are already skeptical of more tax proposals. For instance, former Gov. Jay Inslee proposed a 1% tax on an individual’s wealth above $100 million while on his way out three terms.

Inslee said that tax would apply to approximately 3,000 state residents.

“State tax collections are projected to grow by $10 billion over the next four years without any tax increases, so it’s not surprising that voters are skeptical of proposals to raise billions more in taxes that could threaten jobs and economic growth,” Fain said in a statement.

While state spending doubled over the last 10 years, the majority of voters, 54%, do not believe the increased spending has improved the quality of life in Washington.

Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce CEO Rachel Smith said the survey shows voters are smart and understand the impacts of the state’s current economic issues.

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“[Voters] understand how our state’s current economic conditions impact their personal financial situations and they believe we could lose good-paying jobs if we raise taxes to increase spending by billions,” Smith said.

The latest poll was conducted by Fulcrum Strategic and EMC Research, and was commissioned by the Association of Washington Business, Bellevue Chamber of Commerce, Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, and Washington Roundtable.

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