OLYMPIA, Wash. – Governor Jay Inslee (D) looked back on over a decade in office through his final State of the State address Tuesday morning, taking a victory lap on policy accomplishments and offering guidance to lawmakers on challenges ahead.
“In this moment – our moment – I see a state that is evergreen and ever going forward,” the outgoing governor told a joint session of the legislature.
In his final address, Inslee cited action on climate protections, abortion rights and education as some hallmark successes of his time in office.
“There’s more work to do, of course,” Inslee said. “But these accomplishments, I believe, should give us full confidence for the next steps. We keep moving forward, we pull together, because we are the state of Washington.”
Inslee also spoke about the projected $12 billion deficit over the next four years, harkening back to massive budget cuts made in response to the 2008 economic recession.
“It took years to build back what we lost in that era,” he said.
Inslee previously proposed a $2 billion spending reduction and new taxes. He told lawmakers Tuesday that cuts deeper than that could do great harm.
“Abstract, numerical cuts actually mean concrete, personal pain,” the governor said. “Deep budget cuts always, always fall hardest on the people who cannot afford them.”
His successor, Democrat Bob Ferguson, previously spoke of making over $4 billion dollars in spending cuts to address the budget shortfall.
“We have a strong economy,” Inslee said. “So why would we consider cuts to programs like housing and mental and behavioral health services at a time like this?”
The outgoing governor also talked about the incoming Trump administration.
“We will not bend the knee to a would-be authoritarian’s worst impulses,” Inslee said to a response of jeers and cheers.
That remark triggered some Republican lawmakers to walk out of the chamber.
Inslee closed by asking legislators to keep the same sense of optimism, confidence and hope as they serve the people.
“This legislature knows how to keep going. The challenges ahead will not waken the momentum of what we’re doing here,” he said. “So Washington, I bid you fair winds and following seas. Thank you.”
Albert James is a television reporter covering state government as part of the Murrow News Fellowship program – a collaborative effort between news outlets statewide and Washington State University.
