Senate Democrats float pay cut for Washington state employees as budget crisis looms
Mar 21, 2025, 8:38 AM
State Senator June Robinson says salary cuts could help with the deficit crisis. (Source: Washington State Legislature)
(Source: Washington State Legislature)
Washington State Senate Democrats are proposing 5% pay cuts for state employees, according to The Seattle Times. The state is facing a $15 billion budget deficit.
The wage decreases would be effective from July 1 of this year to June 30 of next year. However, recent collective bargaining agreements with their unions included a 5% raise over two years: 3% this year and 2% next year.
Sen. June Robinson (D-Everett), the proposal’s sponsor, told The Seattle Times this proposal would save the state about $175 million.
“We feel like it is legitimate to ask state workers to share in the reductions that we are going to see across the whole budget,” Robinson told the Times Thursday.
Workers at state institutions of higher education would be exempt from the pay cuts, as would ferry workers and Washington State Patrol officers, according to the Times. State Senate Republicans want to stop all wage increases and instead give state workers $5,000 bonuses. They argue with some strategic budget cuts, the state can address the deficit without new taxes, either.
