How Inflation is Driven by State Spending Habits in the Inflation Era

You feel it every time you walk down the grocery store aisle. I want you to think about what it costs you to fill up your tank of gas right now. Who is able to fill up their tank of gas for less than $50? Nobody. Prices for the things we need every day just keep going up.

The majority party tells you to blame global issues or big companies. But the truth is much closer to home. When the state spends your money poorly, it makes life harder for everyone.

The Problem With the Majority Party

The majority that has been in charge for the last 35 years treats your tax dollars like an endless ATM. They pass massive, record-breaking budgets, but we do not see the results in our neighborhoods.

In the last budget cycle, the state committed billions to new programs without a clear plan. We are not doing more for less. This budget does less for more, and that scares me. When the state spends huge amounts of money but delivers worse results, it throws fuel on the fire of inflation. We keep throwing money at problems, but we never finish the job. We have the inability to build. We have the inability to house. We have the inability to budget.

“We are not doing more for less. This budget does less for more, and that scares me.”

The Human Cost in the 31st District

What does this failure look like for the 155,000 people in the 31st District? It looks like working families stuck in traffic while our roads fall apart. We have people sitting in traffic as our infrastructure is falling apart. That costs you time away from your kids and money out of your pocket.

The majority party wants to fund a $300 billion train in Seattle. Meanwhile, you pay for it through property taxes, car tabs, and sales tax. They take your money, but they ignore the bridge on State Route 167. They ignore the bridge between South Prairie and Buckley that has already fallen down.

It is not just roads. When the state mismanages money, they balance the budget on the backs of the most vulnerable. I worry that the budget systematically takes from protected classes and gives to those who speak the loudest. We see cuts to support for people with disabilities. We must remember the real cost of these bad choices. This isn't a tax, this isn't a budget. This isn't even a facility. This is human beings.

A Maintenance-First Solution

We cannot keep using automatic tax increases that reward failure. We cannot keep calling it responsible budgeting when we cut support for those who cannot speak for themselves.

The solution is a common-sense, maintenance-first approach. We need true accountability. Instead of spending billions on shiny new projects we cannot afford, we need to fix what we already have. We must stop spending based on who shouts the loudest and start spending based on what actually works. We need a budget that focuses on building, housing, and protecting our people.

“We must stop spending based on who shouts the loudest and start spending based on what actually works.”

Bring Adult Leadership Back to Olympia

The soul of Washington State is at stake. But we can fix this. We need to bring adult, competent leadership back to Olympia. We need leaders who know how to manage a budget, how to build for the future, and how to respect the working families who fund our state.

It is time to stop the cycle of mismanagement. Let's get back to basics, fix our infrastructure, and deliver the results our community deserves.