Bob Ferguson is officially the governor of Washington.
Ferguson, a Democrat, took the oath of office on Wednesday in front of family, friends and lawmakers in a crowded House of Representatives chamber. The 59-year-old Seattlite began his new role after 12 years as the state’s attorney general. He is Washington’s 24th governor.
In his inaugural address, Ferguson mapped out his priorities: building more housing, hiring additional police, protecting reproductive health care, and providing all public school students with access to free breakfast and lunch.
He also struck a bipartisan tone, mentioning bills he’s prepared to support from colleagues across the aisle and highlighting areas where he and Republican lawmakers agree.
“Let us listen to one another, without consideration for party, so that the strongest argument prevails,” he said. “That is how we do our best work.”
Republicans liked a lot of what they heard. They delivered more standing ovations than Democrats. Some roared in approval when Ferguson pledged to curb the emergency powers of the governor’s office, put the brakes on state spending and ensure farmers get fuel rebates promised under the state’s cap-and-trade law.
Rep. Jim Walsh, R-Aberdeen, who is also chair of the state Republican Party, praised the performance but remained skeptical.
“He did effectively what [President] Joe Biden and [Vice President] Kamala Harris could not do, co-opt conservative and Republican talking points in a way that sounds convincing,” he said. “It’s about action. It’s not about words. Let’s see what actually happens.”
Many Democrats didn’t hide their pique with Ferguson’s reform-minded message, which comes as the party has controlled the governor’s office and the Legislature for more than seven years.
“I’m in politics because I believe in the power of government to improve people’s lives. At the same time, we must recognize government does not always meet that promise. So let me be clear: I’m not here to defend government. I’m here to reform it,” eliciting applause and cheers from Republicans as Democrats sat silent.
Here are seven takeaways from Ferguson’s inaugural speech.
Left unsaid
The 30-minute address contained no mentions of climate, early learning, child care, transportation or taxes. Ferguson offered no specific approaches to boost funding on education or stabilize the ferry system, two promises he made on the campaign trail.
He made it through with only a single mention of his three-term predecessor, Jay Inslee. By contrast, he spoke at length about the positive impact of Republican Dan Evans, the earlier three-term governor who died last year, on his family and the state.
In closing, Ferguson turned to Evans’ 1965 inaugural address to guide him in his first term.
“This administration is not frightened by the word liberal, nor is it ashamed of the word conservative,” Evans said in that speech. “It does not believe that the words ‘fiscal responsibility’ are old fashioned nor will it ever fear to spend money if money needs to be spent.”
Cuts vs. taxes
Like in his proposed budget framework, Ferguson emphasized the need for cutting before seeking new or higher taxes — a stark difference from Inslee and many fellow Democrats.
His party’s progressives want to avoid deep cuts and tap revenue from taxes on the wealthy and big businesses to fill a multi-billion dollar budget shortfall.
Ferguson proposes $4 billion in cuts. He also said Wednesday he’d veto any bills that involve major spending that is delayed beyond four years. This kind of cost shifting allows lawmakers to approve expensive programs in the near term, with costs not popping up until years later.
He also reiterated that he wants the state to rely on more conservative revenue estimates than it has been for budget planning. “The era of assuming unrealistic growth in revenue is over,” he said. “I will not sign a budget that requires unrealistic revenue growth to balance.”
In a statement after the speech, House Majority Leader Joe Fitzgibbon, D-West Seattle, said he looks forward to the details of new spending and budget cuts proposed by Ferguson.
“We are confident that we will arrive at a budget agreement with our Senate colleagues and with Governor Ferguson that protects Washingtonians and invests in public education, safety, health care, child care, housing, and clean air and water,” Fitzgibbon said.
‘Lots more housing’
In his first act as governor, Ferguson signed two executive orders related to housing immediately after his speech.
One requires state agencies to look for ways to streamline regulations that affect housing and permitting. The other directs them to cut down permit and license processing times and requires any agency that doesn’t meet its deadlines to refund application fees.
“Washingtonians need more housing — lots more housing,” Ferguson said. “We must make it easier, faster and less expensive to build housing of all kinds.”
Ferguson mentioned a report from his housing transition team that outlines 20 recommendations related to housing, including expanding transit-oriented development, protecting renters and small landlords, and giving government tools to improve housing supply.
“Adopting these recommendations is one of my top priorities,” he said.
Abortion rights are a priority
Ferguson and fellow Democrats are aligned in his continuing commitment to protect abortion access and other reproductive rights in Washington.
Among his day-one executive orders is one that requires the Department of Health to convene a roundtable of experts and policymakers to recommend strategies for this area.
“I’m proud of the robust legal protections we have in Washington, including the nation’s strongest health data privacy law,” Ferguson said, “But I am confident there is even more we can do.”
Ferguson’s executive order comes five days after former governor Jay Inslee directed the state Department of Health to adopt a rule that would prohibit hospitals from withholding care, including abortions, from patients who are pregnant.
Police funding is a must
Ferguson said the next two-year state budget must contain $100 million to help local police departments hire more officers. It’s non-negotiable. “That idea was a cornerstone of my campaign for governor. Any budget I sign must include this funding,” he said.
Ferguson restated his support of a bill sponsored by Sen. Jeff Holy, R-Cheney, to have the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission distribute the sum through grants to law enforcement agencies for recruiting and retaining officers.
“Thank you for your legislation,” Ferguson said. Eight Democrats, including three first-term members, are co-sponsors of the bill.
Trump top of mind
Ferguson said he plans to work with the incoming Trump administration “where we can.”
But, he added, “We will stand up to him when we must. That most certainly includes protecting Washingtonians’ reproductive freedom.”
Ferguson also said he would back legislation from Rep. Sharlett Mena, D-Tacoma, prohibiting the National Guard from other states from coming into Washington to “advance any president’s agenda without our permission.”
“Texas and Montana have adopted similar policies. Washington must join them,” Ferguson added, referring to two solidly Republican states.
Lawmakers liked it
Two long-serving legislators poles apart in their politics gave Ferguson a thumbs up for his oration.
“That was one of the best crafted inaugural speeches I’ve ever heard,” said liberal Democratic Rep. Sharon Tomiko Santos, of Seattle, who was first elected to the House in 1998.
She said it was valuable that Ferguson devoted blocks of the speech to his family’s history in Washington since many lawmakers don’t know him. Invoking bipartisanship and previous governors who faced challenges “provided something for all of us to think about,” she said.
Republican Sen. Mark Schoesler, of Ritzville, a conservative who has served in the Legislature since 1993, called it “the best inaugural address in 33 years because he focused on the real tasks ahead and avoided rampant partisanship.”
Schoesler said he was “pleasantly surprised” that Ferguson did not take any cheap shots at the GOP as Inslee often did. Now he will be watching to see if the new governor’s actions reflect his words.
“For the people of the state of Washington, I hope he is sincere and successful,” Schoesler said.
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