Sen. Shelly Short, R-Addy.

OLYMPIA – The multi-billion-dollar shortfall that confronts Washington lawmakers this year is an “artificially caused crisis” that does not warrant a tax increase, says 7^th District Sen. Shelly Short, R-Addy.

Short, who represents all or part of seven counties in the northeastern and north-central portion of the state, says Washington taxpayers are being asked this year to pay for unfortunate spending decisions by majority Democrats in the state Legislature. “Normally when the Legislature has to deal with a budget crisis, it is the result of a national recession or something else beyond our control,” Short explained. “This time it is entirely the result of overspending, and everyone was able to see this coming.”

State spending and the budget are the central issue of Washington’s 2025 legislative session, which opened Jan. 13 in Olympia. Lawmakers will adopt a spending plan to cover the state for the next two years during the 105-day session that ends April 27.

The 7^th District, the largest and most sparsely populated legislative district in the state, has new boundaries this year as a result of court-ordered redistricting. Short and her 7^th District seatmates in the House represent Ferry County, Okanogan County, Pend Oreille and Stevens County, and parts of Chelan, Douglas and Spokane counties. Short is joined by two new members in the House, Hunter Abell, R-Inchelium and Andrew Engell, R-Colville.

Short, as floor leader for the Senate Republican Caucus, will play a central role in the year’s debates. Short is a “team captain” for the 19 Republican senators, making motions and acting as a spokesperson for her caucus when lawmakers are doing business on the Senate floor. This year she has taken on another important position as ranking Republican on the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee, making her the lead member of her caucus on issues dealing with agriculture, public lands and natural resource issues.

Other committee assignments this year for Short are Environment, Energy and Technology, a longtime area of specialty for the senator, State Government, Tribal Affairs and Elections, and Rules, which determines the bills that advance to the Senate floor for votes.

Short so far has introduced seven bills, including three on the wolf-predation issue, a major problem for the 7^th Legislative District as northeastern Washington continues to be the epicenter of the state’s wolf population. Short said she also is planning to introduce legislation to reform the State Building Code Council, an unelected board whose regulations have a direct effect on the cost of housing statewide.

Short said she and her fellow Republicans do not support proposals for tax increases to cover the ambitious spending plans adopted by majority Democrats, who gained full control of the Legislature in 2018. Although lawmakers will have $5 billion more to spend this year than the last time they wrote a budget, they are still about $6 billion short of the amount it would take to maintain all the state’s current spending obligations. Legislative Democrats say they want to raise taxes to avoid cuts, and they are considering a number of proposals that single out prosperous businesses and the wealthy.

“This is a crisis that was created by overspending by majority Democrats, trying to be all things to all people, and frankly, that’s just not the way we handle our household budgets,” Short said. “We need to start looking very closely at our spending, and we need to understand what our true priorities are. We need to pare this budget back, and I think we can do it. We have a lot of folks here who want to roll up their sleeves and get the job done. Taxes should not be on the table.”

Short said Republicans were encouraged last week when incoming Gov. Bob Ferguson, a Democrat, told state agencies to prepare for across-the-board cuts. Ferguson, who took office last week, appeared to embrace a number of Republican priorities, including a tighter budget and a $100 million grant program to put more cops on the street statewide. Short said Republicans feel more optimism than under his predecessor, three-term governor Jay Inslee.

“It’s a breath of fresh air, in contrast to the last 12 years of the Inslee Administration,” Short said. “People were stunned, and we are willing to roll up our sleeves and work with him.”

Bills introduced so far by Short include Senate Bill 5354, which continues the work of former 7^th District Rep. Joel Kretz in promoting local management of wolf populations. Abell has introduced a companion measure, House Bill 1442. The proposal would allow counties to develop regional plans for wolf management when local wolf populations do not qualify for state designation as an endangered species. Other bills introduced by Short include:

• Senate Bill 5165 – Deer and elk crop damage – would ensure that at least 20 percent of state funds provided for deer and elk crop damage be set aside for “frontier counties” – those counties with fewer than 50 people per square mile. Twenty-three of the state’s 39 counties would qualify. The state compensates farmers for losses due to wild deer and elk under certain conditions.
• Senate Bill 5170 – Boundary line adjustments on public lands – would require the Department of Natural Resources to notify affected landowners prior to conducting a land survey, and provide an opportunity for comment. Landowners would be allowed to present historical evidence about the boundary location and potential adjustments.
• Senate Bill 5171 – Compensation for wolf predation – would allow “indirect claims” for damages to livestock as a result of wolf predation, including higher than normal livestock losses, reduced weight gains or reduced pregnancy rates.
• Senate Bill 5173 – Deadlines for county comprehensive plans – would revise the state schedule for comprehensive plan updates by counties under the state Growth Management Act, giving the 28 affected counties more flexibility on deadlines.
• Senate Bill 5334 – DNR appeals – would allow the Pollution Control Hearings Board to hear appeals of civil enforcement decisions by the Department of Natural Resources.
• Senate Bill 5343 – Northeast Washington wolf-livestock management account – would allow state account to be used for non-lethal countermeasures to wolf predation, and provide grants to sheriffs in Stevens and Ferry counties to hire a local wildlife specialist to aid the Department of Fish and Wildlife in wolf management.