New business-sponsored poll shows WA voters think raising taxes, state spending is a ‘bad idea’
Most Washington voters aren’t too pleased with the idea of boosting state spending. That’s according to a new poll by Fulcrum Strategic and EMC Research, which surveyed 600 registered voters last month.
More than 7 in 10 voters, 71%, said they were concerned about the availability of good-paying jobs and the state’s economy, the poll shows. And a majority, 56%, thought it was a “bad idea” to drastically hike spending to fund “important state programs that help address homelessness, create more affordable housing, improve education, and provide affordable health care for Washingtonians.”
The poll was commissioned by the Association of Washington Business, Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, Bellevue Chamber of Commerce and Washington Roundtable, a conservative-leaning coalition.
Some Democratic leaders have mulled increasing revenue to bridge the state’s budget gap, projected between $10 billion and $12 billion over the next four years. In December, then-Gov. Jay Inslee, for instance, suggested imposing a new wealth tax and increase some business and occupation taxes. However, Inslee’s successor, Gov. Bob Ferguson, has said he is skeptical of a wealth tax and he wants to see cuts to state-agency spending to help solve the budget issue.
Voters largely believe that Washington has plenty of coins in its coffers to address pressing matters, according to the poll results released Feb. 3. Many fear that a tax bump would worsen the state’s cost-of-living crisis, stymie job growth and lead to a weakened economy.
Respondents of the poll want the state’s leaders to better manage their budget and demonstrate they can deliver results before suggesting additional taxes, including those aimed at businesses, said Rachel Smith, president and CEO at Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce.
Voters know that local businesses contribute taxes and create jobs, helping the state’s overall prosperity, she said. They’re proud to be Washingtonians but are also concerned about the economy.
“They understand how our state’s current economic conditions impact their personal situations,” Smith continued, “and they believe we could lose good-paying jobs if we raise taxes to increase spending.”
Some companies in other states have fled for more tax-friendly places, including Caterpillar Inc., which in 2022 announced it was moving from Illinois to Texas.
Lack of voter trust
More than three-quarters of voters polled, 76%, think that the Legislature has the money it needs to address crucial issues, but that lawmakers need to use it more effectively, according to the poll findings.
A majority of voters, 59%, thought that the budget hole happened because the Legislature failed to rein in spending. More than half think things are “pretty seriously off on the wrong track” in Washington. Nearly two-thirds reported they don’t trust the Legislature to be responsible when spending their tax money.
Trust is also lacking when it comes to voters’ confidence that the Legislature has an effective plan to address housing affordability, education, public safety and homelessness. Just 26% of respondents agreed that such a plan is in the works.
“So trust with the Legislature is in a rough place,” said Andrew Thibault, partner at Fulcrum Strategic. “And obviously, to get things done, you need people to trust the Legislature.”
At least 90% of voters said they believe that although state spending has doubled over the past 10 years, housing costs, homelessness and cost of living have all gotten worse.
Some Democratic lawmakers have contended that voters would likely support more taxes aimed at the uber-wealthy and large businesses, as reported by the Washington State Standard. They’ve pointed to the November defeat of an initiative that would have repealed the state’s capital gains tax.
Yet Smith noted that Washington’s voters did not approve new taxes in November: “And they didn’t vote to approve a blank check to cover increases in spending.”
“Let’s also be clear about what we know from the results of this poll, which is that voters don’t have confidence in raising taxes to cover increases in spending,” Smith said. “They don’t believe it will deliver results, and they have concerns about economic impact.”
But Treasure Mackley, executive director of Invest in Washington Now, told McClatchy on Feb. 4 that the “best poll is an election, and we voted by 64%, more than for any other statewide candidate or measure, against cuts to education and childcare and for making our state’s mega-millionaires and billionaires pay what they owe.”
This story was originally published February 4, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
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