Sign petition opposing reckless state cuts

Urge lawmakers to find revenue and ask the wealthy to contribute. We must keep money flowing to support critical services and jobs, not harm families and prolong the COVID-19 recession.

OLYMPIA (Sept. 10, 2020) — People across Washington state are hurting. From serious illness to job loss to wildfires, times are tough for everyone. Well, almost everyone.

Now our state government is facing a revenue shortfall caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. But instead of cutting the critical state services we depend on and jobs we need during this time of multiple crises, we need Washington state legislators to invest in our families and communities. Our lawmakers must find revenue to maintain services and ask the wealthiest among us — many of whom have been unscathed by the pandemic-related economic downturn and continue to reap windfall earnings — to contribute more.

TAKE A STAND — The Invest in Washington Now coalition is asking all to please sign this petition urging state lawmakers to fix our state’s upside-down regressive tax code, where the poorest pay the most and the richest pay the least, and build an economy where more people can participate and thrive. Thank you in advance for signing this petition and adding your voice.

Invest in Washington Now is a grassroots movement of educators, working families, and everyday Washingtonians advocating for progressive revenue solutions. We believe that the best way to support families and businesses during the COVID-19 crisis is to keep money flowing to our communities, invest in people, and ask the wealthy few and profitable corporations to do their part. Together, we can build a Washington that works for all of us.

In the last recession, Washington state government made the critical mistake of dealing with the state’s revenue shortfall by drastically cutting public jobs and services. These cuts did lasting damage to our state: increasing class sizes, raising tuition costs, decimating our mental health system, and more. In addition, economists agree that this “austerity approach” of making drastic budget and job cuts also slowed the economic recovery considerably.

Now amid the COVID-19 pandemic, all states are facing similar or worse revenue shortfalls. Many are already cutting back critical public services and creating a drag on prospects for economic recovery.

Washington state doesn’t have to make the same mistake again.

Our state lawmakers must ask the wealthy few and profitable corporations to do their part. Please sign this petition, and together, we can build a Washington that works for all of us.