Washington state government is spending substantially more today than it did in 2013, although comparisons need to use the same budget measure on both ends.

For the 2025–27 biennium, the Legislature originally enacted $77.9 billion in Near General Fund-Outlook appropriations, according to the Legislature’s official budget analysis. After 2026 supplemental changes, that figure rose to approximately $80 billion. 

Concerns about Washington’s spending trajectory have also been voiced by former Democratic governors. Former Gov. Gary Locke said in 2026 that there was “no budget discipline” in Olympia. Former Gov. Christine Gregoire has similarly argued that the state should focus on its spending rather than assuming additional revenue is the only answer.

The underlying budget figures nonetheless show a substantial long-term expansion of state spending. Whether that growth is justified by population growth, inflation, new programs, court-ordered education spending, or other demands is a separate policy question for voters and lawmakers to evaluate.