When accountability comes due, Democrats in the Legislature immediately run and point to something other than their own policies. They can run, but we should not let them hide from their failures.
Our state faces multiple crises, including affordability, housing, public safety, homelessness and drug use. These problems are the result of homemade policy decisions from Olympia — not Washington, D.C.
In a recent op-ed, Speaker of the House Laurie Jinkins blamed Republicans in Congress for causing pain in Washington households and pointed fingers at legislative Republicans. But this distracts from the fact that her party — the party in power — is responsible for the crises facing our state today.
Let’s look at the latest data and the speaker’s record since taking the gavel in January 2020. First, affordability.
The day the speaker was sworn into office in 2020, state gas prices averaged $3.04. The price today is $4.18 to $1.11 more than the national average. The extra cost is due to a regressive carbon tax and recent gas tax hike, two policies her party championed. They also increased the diesel tax, which drives up the price of goods. Washingtonians pay some of the highest grocery prices in the nation and pay the most to go out to eat.
Then there’s housing. In 2019, the median home price in Washington was $437,500. In 2024, that number was $648,600 — around $220,000 above the national average. A report from the Lieutenant Governor’s Office showed our state was the worst in the nation for housing supply. This is a byproduct of anti-growth policies passed by Democrats over the years. Despite high prices and low supply, residential construction permits have now fallen to Great Recession levels — signaling a dysfunctional market.
Public safety has also deteriorated. Washington ranked worse in every category of crime in 2024 compared to 2019 — landing in the top ten nationally last year for property crime, robbery, burglary, larceny and motor vehicle theft. Our state also ranks last in the nation for police officers per capita. The Democrats’ pro-criminal, anti-victim policies have made communities less safe. The speaker also pushed through disastrous experiments to limit law enforcement’s vehicular pursuits and decriminalize dangerous drugs; policies her party had to later abandon due to public pressure.
The homelessness picture is also bleak. An estimated 21,577 people experienced homelessness in our state in 2019. That number grew to 31,554 in 2024, with Washington ranking third in the nation in the rate of unsheltered chronic homelessness. In that same timeframe, we witnessed a tragic spike in drug overdose deaths. The speaker measures success by the billions of tax dollars spent; Republicans define success by actual results.
On health care, Democrats in Olympia slashed $782 million from Medicaid in the state budget this year — $446 million in federal funds and $336.5 million in state funds. Nearly 95% of the reductions hit general medical care, long-term care assistance and services for people with disabilities and seniors. They also slammed hospitals with program cuts and new taxes. These actions will result in the loss of quality of care and access to care for Apple Health patients. These decisions also threaten hospital solvency, which will jeopardize access to care for even more Washingtonians.
House Republicans voted against this budget, along with a few reasonable Democrats. We fought to protect access to health care, including an amendment to boost Medicaid reimbursement rates. The speaker blocked our efforts.
The speaker’s party also passed the largest tax increase in state history — $9.2 billion in sweeping new taxes that have caused chaos in our economy and hit consumers, small businesses, nonprofits and even schools. Our state is now expected to add only 11,000 jobs in 2025 and zero jobs in 2026. You read that correctly. Zero.
Since the budget was signed, the growth of tax collections has slowed. We are now facing another significant budget deficit. The Democrats’ response: More tax increases. This is the wrong approach.
Republicans introduced a responsible state spending plan and budget reform package this year that would have right-sized state government, something Gov. Bob Ferguson promised but failed to deliver on. We will do so again next legislative session.
House Republicans will continue to push for our Fix Washington agenda — focused on lowering costs, improving safety, strengthening schools, and restoring trust in state government. This plan can be found on our website.
We encourage you to join the debate. When you stay informed, track legislation, and ask questions about what’s happening in Olympia, you force state lawmakers to confront the real-world consequences of their choices. Your voice isn’t just commentary — it’s leverage and remains the most powerful check on the Legislature.
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Rep. Peter Abbarno, R-Chehalis, represents the 20th Legislative District. Rep. Travis Couture, R-Allyn, represents the 35th Legislative District.
