Panelists question whether recent budget growth has improved education and public services

Panelists at a Bellevue Chamber event debated whether recent increases in state spending have produced measurable improvements in public services, particularly K–12 education.

Sandeep Kaushik referenced the 2012 McCleary decision, saying the share of state budget going to education has fallen from a 2019 peak and that several districts now face fiscal strain. He said the decline in performance and growing fiscal problems point to a need for attention beyond simply providing more money.

Moderator Joe Fain cited a roughly 10,000 headcount increase in state employees between 2021 and 2025 and asked what taxpayers are getting for those additional positions. Rep. Larry Springer acknowledged targeted hires—such as funding for wildland firefighters and additional Fish and Wildlife staff—can be justified but said other areas (for example, corrections IT and K–12 outcomes) require closer scrutiny.

Panelists described a recurring boom-and-bust budget pattern: emergency or one-time federal infusions and supplemental spending create expectations that are hard to sustain in later biennia, leading to structural deficits. Several panelists suggested one approach is to budget conservatively over multiple years and to resist spending every dollar during periods of high revenue.

Audience members pressed for concrete spending cuts and clearer accountability. Panelists responded that structural reforms—such as multi-year budgeting and prioritizing programs with measurable returns—are necessary but politically difficult. The discussion ended with calls for more performance measurement and clearer links between tax increases and outcomes for students and taxpayers.