Washington Isn’t Broke. It’s Being Ripped Off — and We’re Being Lied To.
Every year, the same insult gets handed to the public:
“There’s a deficit. Taxes have to go up. There’s no other option.”
That line only works if you don’t ask questions.
Because once you do, the whole thing collapses.
Washington State is not broke. Washington is a donor state — and we are being bled dry.
First, Kill the Biggest Lie: Washington Does NOT Overspend
Let’s be clear.
Washington does not overspend per capita compared to other states.
We are not reckless.
We are not bloated.
We are not living beyond our means.
On a per-person basis, Washington’s state spending is in line with — and often lower than — states that receive far more federal money than they pay in.
So when leaders talk about “tough choices,” they’re not responding to overspending.
They’re responding to missing money.
The Truth They Don’t Want to Say (and Often Don’t Understand)
Washington sends billions more in federal taxes to Washington, D.C. than we ever get back.
That money leaves the state.
It doesn’t return.
It props up other states.
Then when roads, schools, health care, or public safety need funding, the state is told to “solve the problem.”
So Washington self-finances costs that should be shared nationally — and then gets blamed for the bill.
That’s not mismanagement.
That’s extraction.
Here’s the Uncomfortable Part: Most Leaders Don’t Actually Get This
This isn’t a conspiracy.
It’s worse.
Most party leaders — on both sides — don’t understand macroeconomics well enough to see it.
Macro-level fiscal flows aren’t common knowledge.
They aren’t taught clearly.
They don’t show up in campaign talking points.
So what happens?
Legislators focus on line items, not net flows
Governors argue ideology instead of math
Budget writers chase short-term gaps instead of structural causes
Ignorance becomes policy.
And complexity becomes cover.
That doesn’t excuse it — but it explains why the lie keeps surviving.
How a Fake Deficit Gets Invented
Here’s the scam in plain English:
Washington overpays into the federal system
Other states receive more than they contribute
Washington replaces missing federal dollars with state taxes
Leaders call the result a “budget crisis”
That crisis exists only because the money never came home.
If Washington were not a donor state, there would be no permanent deficit drama.
Stop the Blame Theater
Every cycle needs a scapegoat:
The governor
The legislature blew it
The other party is evil
That’s all theater.
You can replace the governor tomorrow and nothing changes.
You can flip parties and nothing changes.
Because no amount of ideology replaces billions that already left the state.
Blame keeps voters divided.
Silence keeps the system intact.
Small Businesses Are Paying for Federal Extraction
Small businesses employ about half of Washington’s workforce.
They don’t get loopholes.
They don’t get carve-outs.
They don’t get federal favors.
They get hit with:
Sales taxes that ignore margins
B&O taxes on revenue, not income
Rising fees to patch donor-state holes
Not because Washington overspends —
but because Washington is forced to self-finance.
If Washington kept more of what it already pays:
Small business tax pressure would ease
Employers could reinvest locally
Rural communities wouldn’t be barely surviving
Workers wouldn’t be paying twice
The Income Tax Tell
Here’s the giveaway.
If Washington were not a donor state, lawmakers would not even be talking about new income taxes.
Those ideas only surface when leaders are scrambling to replace money that’s already been extracted.
That’s not reform.
That’s failure.
Say It Plainly
Washington:
Does not overspend per capita
Pays more than its share federally
Carries half its workforce through small business
And still gets told:
“There’s just not enough money.”
That’s false.
There is enough money.
It just doesn’t come back.
The Bottom Line
Washington doesn’t need higher taxes.
It doesn’t need new income taxes.
It doesn’t need excuses.
It needs its money back.
Until donor-state extraction is acknowledged and fixed:
Deficits will keep being invented
Tax hikes will keep getting floated
Leaders will keep blaming personalities
And working people will keep paying twice
This isn’t left vs. right.
It’s ignorance vs. honesty.
Fix the extraction — or stop lying about the budget.