Schoesler: Inslee aiming too high

The latest budget proposal from Washington Gov. Jay Inslee may have “something for everyone,” but it’s also too much of a lot of things, according to Sen. Mark Schoesler.

Schoesler, R-Ritzville, and his 9th Legislative District colleague, Rep. Mary Dye, R-Pomeroy, offered their take on Inslee’s 2023-25 spending plan during a Lewis Clark Chamber of Commerce luncheon Thursday.

Inslee is recommending just over $70 billion in expenditures, an increase of $7.5 billion or 12% compared to the 2021-23 biennium. That includes $1.3 billion in salary and benefit increases for state employees, another $1.87 billion for various climate change initiatives and the first $1.35 billion of a proposed $4 billion investment in affordable housing and programs to combat homelessness.

“There’s something for everybody to like and something for everyone to dislike,” Schoesler said. “But the fundamental problem is that Washington has a $4.2 billion debt limit, and the governor’s (capital budget) spends $4.9 billion. How do you do that? Well, he borrows the money from the next biennium and pulls it forward.”

On top of that, the governor is proposing another $4 billion in bonding to address homelessness. That recommendation would need to be approved by voters.

Schoesler noted that the Legislature’s Democratic majority previously rejected a $500 million statewide bond proposal to fund seismic upgrades in public schools, which arguably is a core responsibility of government.

“But (the governor) wants you to vote on $4 billion for housing,” he said. “In my opinion, government housing is not especially cost effective. And what’s the debt service on $4 billion? We don’t know yet, but I don’t like the public policy. I don’t think we should float $4 billion in additional debt for something that isn’t a core function of government.”

When lawmakers return to Olympia on Jan. 9, Schoesler will be the longest-serving legislator in either chamber. He was first elected 30 years ago, in 1992. After 12 years in the House, he moved over to the Senate and subsequently served eight years as Senate Republican Leader. He stepped down from that position two years ago, but said he hasn’t made any decisions about if or when to retire from public service.

In a conversation with the Tribune following Thursday’s chamber luncheon, Schoesler cited the increase in social media as one of the biggest negative changes he’s seen during his time in the Legislature.

“I think technology in the workplace has been a deterrent to the process,” he said. “There was no email the first four years or so that I was a member. People had to think about what they wrote and send it.”

Now, he said, people can blitz lawmakers with rants and form letters at the click of a button.

Similarly, lawmakers used to have more time to interact on a personal level, having conversations and getting to know each other better.

“We didn’t have super-fast printers, the code revisers (who actually write the bills) didn’t have super-fast computers,” Schoesler said. “We had some down time. Now it’s go to caucus and react. Social media has not been our friend. It’s used as a bludgeon. When I started my career, I never thought I’d say there weren’t enough newspaper reports in the capital. I can say that now. The detriment of (the newspaper) industry, I believe, has been detrimental to the people.”

On a more positive note, Schoesler said the move to a four-year balanced budget was “one heck of a good idea,” as was the creation of a constitutional rainy day saving fund.

In addition, he was majority leader when the Legislature cut higher education tuition for the first time in state history, as well as linking tuition growth to wage growth.

“So there are things that I’ve really liked,” Schoesler said. “But I’m not retired and I’m not dead yet, so don’t get too carried away.”

Schoesler is working on a number of bills for the upcoming legislative session, including several that try to reduce school construction and maintenance costs. They’ll be discussed in more detail in a legislative preview story that runs before the kickoff of the 2023 session Jan. 9

Spence may be contacted at bspence@lmtribune.com or (208) 791-9168.