About this episode

Former Democratic governors express concerns about Washington state's spending issues and the economic challenges faced by local businesses.

Two former Democratic governors are raising serious concerns about Washington state spending, while business leaders, correctional officers and Seattle hotel operators report new challenges involving the state’s economy, public safety and World Cup results. Former Washington Gov. Gary Locke criticized Olympia’s budget process during the Association of Washington Business Economic Future Solutions Summit. Locke warned against using one-time revenue to fund permanent government programs and said voters could lose trust when money approved for one purpose is later redirected elsewhere. Locke described that practice as a potential “bait and switch” and questioned why Washington continues to face projected budget deficits despite record revenue and recently approved taxes. Former Gov. Christine Gregoire has issued a similar warning. Gregoire noted that Washington’s operating budget has grown from approximately $33 billion when she left office to roughly $80 billion today. She argued that the state does not have an income problem but a spending problem and warned that repeatedly adding taxes, regulations and new costs creates uncertainty for Washington businesses. Kelly Chambers, a…

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