Washington State Budget & Policy Center: The Truth About Washington’s Revenue Shortfall

Washington State Budget & Policy Center: The Truth About Washington’s Revenue Shortfall

During the 2025 legislative session, Washington state lawmakers face a budget shortfall that threatens funding for the public programs we all rely on.

Understanding the truth about Washington’s revenue shortfall and how we responsibly address it

The Evergreen State's upside-down tax code — which requires those with the least to pay the most while letting the rich dodge their obligations — has long been a recurring driver of revenue shortfalls. Costs to deliver services and demand for services has gone up, while revenue has failed to keep pace with population growth and economic growth, as a recent collection of visualizations from the Washington Budget & Policy Center shows.