“I don’t think anybody feels celebratory about the outcome, about the budget and the revenue that we passed this year, but I do think that given the magnitude of the challenges that we started session with, [there’s a] sense of relief.” – House Majority Leader Joe Fitzgibbon, D-Seattle.
“I think [it was an] unmitigated disaster for the people of the state of Washington. We’ve made everything more expensive with additional taxes — food, gas, housing, childcare, healthcare — you name it.” – Senate Minority Leader John Braun, R-Centralia.
This week on Inside Olympia, Fitzgibbon and Braun offered sharply contrasting assessments of the 2025 legislative session, the state’s $78 billion budget, and Gov. Bob Ferguson’s first months in office.
Fitzgibbon called the 105-day session “grueling” but said Democrats took “the most responsible path forward” by balancing the budget without a special session. “I don’t think anybody feels celebratory about the outcome, about the budget and the revenue that we passed this year,” he said, “but I do think that given the magnitude of the challenges that we started session with [there’s a] sense of relief.”
Braun, however, described the session as “an unmitigated disaster for the people of the state of Washington.” He said Democrats raised taxes unnecessarily, making life more expensive across the board.
Governor Bob Ferguson
Fitzgibbon credited Gov. Ferguson with a thoughtful approach to the budget and praised him for signing the plan with only minor vetoes. “I was definitely appreciative of all the work that he spent going through the budget,” Fitzgibbon said. He predicted future sessions would run more smoothly as Ferguson gains budget-writing experience.
Braun was less generous. While he said he believed Ferguson “was genuine” in his desire to control spending, he concluded, “I think he failed.” Braun argued that Ferguson “let himself get boxed into a corner,” ultimately signing off on billions in new taxes.
State Worker Contracts
On collective bargaining, Fitzgibbon defended the $4 billion set aside to fully fund state employee contracts as essential to service quality and workforce stability. “We need kids in the foster care system to have experienced people managing their cases,” he said, adding that turnover at key agencies threatened public services.
Braun disagreed, arguing that state employees already earn more than most private-sector workers in nearly every county. “In 38 out of 39 counties, state employees are making more than the average private sector employees,” he said. Braun proposed a $5,000 bonus spread over two years, saying it would have more directly benefited lower-paid workers. “It was a progressive pay increase across the board that helped folks at the lower end … more than anybody else.”
Cuts and Closures
Fitzgibbon noted Democrats had made painful cuts to state government, including prison closures, reductions in higher ed inflation adjustments, and a push to close the Rainier School for people with developmental disabilities. “We were trying to make the best choices that we could,” he said, while criticizing Republicans for opposing some efforts to reduce state costs.
Braun countered that the Rainier closure, in particular, was not a true cost-saving measure and lacked the careful planning needed to properly serve the vulnerable residents there. “You can do long-term damage that way,” he said, calling the proposed closure a bipartisan concern rather than a clear-cut budget cut.
Education and Legal Risk
The two leaders also disagreed on school funding and whether the state is again vulnerable to a McCleary-style lawsuit. Braun pointed to increased local levy authority as a potential trigger. “You can’t go to a school district across our state and say, ‘Can you show me any definitive way that you’re not using levies for basic education?’ They’ll say, ‘No way, I can’t. We’re using it for basic education.’”
Fitzgibbon responded that the state continues to increase both aggregate and per-student K–12 funding, and emphasized that enrichment levies are voter-approved and supported by equalization funds. He dismissed Republican claims as political spin: “I think that’s folks trying to spin some politics out of a legitimately difficult situation.”
Looking Ahead
Both lawmakers agreed that looming federal Medicaid cuts could force Washington into a special session. Fitzgibbon called that possibility “a terrible outcome” Braun conceded, “I think we should all be concerned [but] I think there’s a lot of fear mongering out there,” adding federal reforms could reduce fraud and cross-enrollment.