Locke Warns Legislature on Budget Discipline | Seattle News

Former Washington Governor Gary Locke is sounding the alarm on the state Legislature’s reckless spending, warning that one-time funds are being used to fund permanent programs without sustainable plans — a move eroding public trust. Locke, a Democrat, criticized lawmakers for shifting money around and borrowing without clear repayment, leaving voters and interest groups disillusioned. He pointed to the recent “millionaire’s tax” as a case in point — even with new revenue, Washington still faces deficits and risks breaking promises to taxpayers. Echoing his predecessor Christine Gregoire, Locke insists the real issue is spending, not income, and urges lawmakers to prioritize and discipline budgets or risk losing public confidence forever. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/4288b68e86c223a8