OLYMPIA – Anticipating a range of proposed policies and tactics from the incoming administration that would significantly impact the management and distribution of public dollars into Washington state, Treasurer Mike Pellicciotti released the following:
“For months, my office has been reviewing the potential impact to Washington should various federal dollars be withheld or eliminated if the federal government implement the policies outlined in Project 2025 and other proposals offered during Donald Trump’s candidacy for President.
“To be clear, the withholding of federal funds is not purely a hypothetical but was actively pursued and in certain instances executed during President Trump’s first term. It was also specifically called out as a tactic of state coercion in the Project 2025 document.
“In the 2023 fiscal year, the federal government provided Washington approximately $27.2 billion to aid in funding everything from healthcare and education to food assistance and infrastructure projects. Whether the federal government conducts these actions through legal or illegal means, our office will be recommending policies to protect state dollars, secure emergency reserves, and position us to fill funding gaps as they arise.
“We look forward to close collaboration with the incoming Governor, Attorney General, and Legislature to ensure Washington’s Treasury remains strong regardless of federal action in 2025.”