FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 24, 2005

House passes the state's two-year operating budget; Campbell votes no

OLYMPIA -- Today, the 105th and final day of the 2005 session, the House passed the budget to cover operating cost through 2007.The vote was 56 to 42.

While he said there were things he liked, Rep. Tom Campbell (R-Roy) voted 'no' on the bill.

Campbell said he was concerned about the spending increase in the budget at a time when Washington state is starting to see an improvement in the states economy, which had been stalled for the past few years. He said he agrees with the intention of Initiative-601 that was passed 10 years ago to set a spending limit for future legislatures.

"I was here in 1993 when we went through a similar process of spending beyond our revenue," Campbell said. "That was the birth of Initiative-601. I believed in 601; it provided consistency."

Campbell said there are things about the budget he liked. "It is excellent for health care and for kids. I especially appreciate what it does for mental health care."

"But, this budget is a 12-percent increase in spending over the last biennial budget. Initiative 601 wouldn't have allowed that, and I can't go there," he said. "I see a dark cloud as we go near that line."

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