Budget at a glance

What is the state budget?

The state budget outlines how Washington will spend money for services and programs. This financial plan helps the state direct funds where they're needed most. Learn more about the Washington state budget process. 

The state budget affects us all. It provides funding for public schools, building and maintaining roads, expanding health care services, supporting public safety, and more. The budget helps us make decisions about how to spend public funds to meet the needs of our communities and plan for the future. Below are the key highlights and statistics of the governor’s budget proposal priorities. 

Below are key highlights and statistics of the governor’s budget proposal priorities for 2025-27.

Highlights

Below are the key highlights and statistics of the governor’s budget proposal priorities.

Need:

5-8%
Of patients who visit the Emergency Department (ED) for nonfatal overdose, 5-8% die in the following year.
↑58%
Demand for Community Behavioral Health Supports (CBHS) is estimated to increase by 58% in the current fiscal year.
↑8%
Demand for competency evaluation and restoration services is estimated to grow by 8% each year. Growth has spiked in the past, leading to 60% overall growth since 2018.

Proposal:

$1M
More than 24,000 Washington ED visits were for nonfatal overdoses in 2022. Investment of $1 million will provide EDs with real-time clinical guidance on prescribing medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), and 24/7 follow-up appointment scheduling to connect these patients to treatment.
$106M
Funding of $106 million for Community Behavioral Health Supports will provide services for individuals transitioning from inpatient psychiatric care to community settings.
350+
The new 350-bed Forensic Center of Excellence at Western State Hospital broke ground this year, and Washington continues to build capacity at other state and community facilities. In addition, legislation is proposed that will reduce demand for state services.

In 2018, Governor Jay Inslee committed to investing in proven strategies and community-based care for behavioral health. His 2025–27 budget builds on this work, focusing on expanding access to services, especially for underserved communities. 

Key priorities include supporting approaches that connect people with services and growing the network of behavioral health care facilities and community-based providers. 

Learn more about the behavioral health budget.

Need:

1.1M
Homes needed by 2044 
↑50%
Average rental cost increase statewide in the last decade
198,000+
People in Washington facing homelessness or housing instability 

Proposal:

80,000
Total affordable units created by investments in the Housing Trust Fund between 1986-2027
$4.2M
For foreclosure prevention services 
5,000+
Additional affordable units created in the governor’s 2025-27 capital budget

Washington is addressing the housing shortage by keeping and creating as many affordable units as possible, investing in wrap-around services, and improving access to transitional and permanent housing for unhoused individuals and families.  

Marginalized communities in Washington face barriers to housing due to decades of biased policies, with Black and Native American residents experiencing higher rates of homelessness. 

Revenue from document recording fees have gone down, but the state remains committed to maintaining effective housing programs and advancing equity in access to stable housing. 
 
Learn more about the housing and homelessness budget.

Need:

2.4 years
People who live in Washington communities overburdened with air pollution die 2.4 years earlier than the state average life expectancy
$300
Amount each year a family can save on energy bills in a weatherized home
x2
Our power needs will nearly double by 2050

Proposal:

40%
of CCA investments in 2025–27 benefit vulnerable populations in overburdened communities
7,000
Low-income households get safety and energy efficiency upgrades
$120M
Invested in 2025–27 in clean energy siting, development, and transmission

Washington leads the nation in addressing climate change, with programs like the Climate Commitment Act (CCA) reducing greenhouse gas emissions and funding clean energy projects.  

Governor Inslee’s latest proposals build on this momentum, investing in clean energy, electrifying transportation, and making homes, schools, and communities healthier and more sustainable. 

Learn more about the climate and energy budget.

Need:

6x
Low-income families shoulder 6x as much in tax burden than the wealthy Washingtonians
1%
Ultra-rich individuals will pay a modest 1% on wealth over $100 million
3,400
Ultra-rich individuals who benefit the most from our economy while contributing the least

Proposal:

$3.4B
Raised from the wealth tax in two years post implementation
2 years
Timeframe to stabilize funding for just essential services
$4B
Total raised from new revenue proposals

Washington’s tax system, built nearly a century ago, is struggling to keep up with our state’s rapid population growth and rising costs for essential services like education, housing, and health care. Washington state collects taxes to pay for state run programs and agencies. Today, our system takes six times more tax from low and middle-income families than it does from the ultra-rich. Washington's current system is not collecting enough money to address this gap. 

Governor Inslee proposes two reforms that protects the programs and services that all Washingtonians benefit from:  

Wealth tax: a modest 1% wealth tax on worldwide wealth over $100 million 

Business & Occupation (B&O) tax: 20% increase to be paid by large, high-revenue companies 

Learn more about the revenue proposal.

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Tags
2025-27 Budget
Last updated
Thursday, December 12, 2024