<p>Gov. Bob Ferguson delivered his inaugural address to a packed Capitol Dome chamber Wednesday.</p>
<p>Rather than leaning solely on the pomp and circumstance of the day, he also presented a sobering look at some of the challenges ahead for the state. His speech addressed housing, finding more police officers and making Washington more affordable — priorities of both parties. </p>
<p>“We face real challenges as a state and as a people,” Ferguson told the chamber, filled with state senators, representatives, other state officials and members of the public. </p>
<p>“Our state is unaffordable for many Washingtonians. We rank 50th — last — per capita, in number of law enforcement officers. Our ferry system is broken. We are confronted with a behavioral health crisis. Too many of our residents are unsheltered. Housing is too expensive and there’s not enough of it. Our state government is bogged down by too much bureaucracy. And core freedoms, like reproductive freedom, are threatened,” he added. </p>
<p>Ferguson voiced support for legislation already in the pipeline or expected to be introduced by both Republicans and Democrats. He also mentioned his own new executive orders on some matters. </p>
<p>“Despite these, and other challenges, I’m optimistic. I know that together we can make real progress and increase opportunities for Washingtonians,” Ferguson said. </p>
<p>Governor Bob Ferguson greets state legislators as he arrives for his inauguration in the Washington State Capitol on Wed., Jan. 15, 2025. (M. Scott Brauer / Cascade PBS)</p>
<p>Ferguson takes over the helm <a href=”https://www.cascadepbs.org/politics/2025/01/jay-inslee-reflects-12-years-washington-governor” target=”_blank”>from former Gov. Jay Inslee</a>, one of only three governors in the state’s history to have served three terms. </p>
<p>Legislative Republicans liked what they heard from Ferguson’s inaugural speech Wednesday. </p>
<p>“That was certainly a surprising speech. Pleasantly surprising,” said Senate Minority Leader John Braun, R-Centralia. </p>
<p>“Gov. Ferguson was honest and I appreciate that … The test is whether he will walk the talk,” said House Minority Leader Drew Stokesbary, R-Auburn. </p>
<p>“We’re gonna hold him accountable,” Braun added. </p>
<p>Governor Bob Ferguson delivers his inaugural address in the Washington State Capitol on Wed., Jan. 15, 2025. (M. Scott Brauer / Cascade PBS)</p>
<p>Ferguson noted the expected $12 billion state budget shortfall expected over the next four years. He said he and Inslee have extensively discussed this shortfall during the past two weeks. </p>
<p>Ferguson <a href=”https://www.cascadepbs.org/briefs/2025/01/fergusons-budget-priorities-list-both-cuts-new-spending-wa” target=”_blank”>revisited his earlier announcement</a> calling for a cut across all state agencies, averaging about 6%, which would trim $4 billion from the shortfall. <a href=”https://www.cascadepbs.org/politics/2025/01/bob-ferguson-talks-challenges-ahead-washingtons-next-governor” target=”_blank”>As he told Cascade PBS in an interview</a>, not all agencies would individually have to cut 6%. Some might cut more, and some might trim less. This $4 billion would be in addition to roughly $3 billion in one-time savings and deferred expenses identified in Inslee’s proposed 2025-27 budget. </p>
<p>“We cannot simply assume that government’s role is to do everything it has always done, while continuing to add new programs and responsibilities every year. That’s not smart. And that’s not sustainable. Rather, like any family budget, we must be vigilant in assessing existing investments to determine whether they still make sense and whether they meet our priorities during a budget crisis,” Ferguson said. </p>
<p>Ferguson ordered state agencies to review all regulations that impact housing, permitting and construction and identify any provision that can be streamlined, deferred or eliminated. Last week, Lt. Gov. Denny Heck provided Ferguson with 20 recommendations to address this matter — noting legislative efforts to expand transit-oriented development, protect vulnerable renters and small landlords, and give local governments tools and incentives to improve housing supply and affordability. </p>
<p>Governor Bob Ferguson’s signature is seen on one of his first three executive orders signed immediately after his inauguration at the Washington State Capitol in Olympia on Wed., Jan. 15, 2025. (M. Scott Brauer / Cascade PBS)</p>
<p>Ferguson said he supports legislation to ensure that students attending K-12 public schools receive free breakfasts and lunches as part of their basic education. “Right now, if you’re a single parent working 40 hours a week making 19 bucks an hour, your child doesn’t qualify for free meals. That’s unacceptable. That needs to change,” Ferguson said. </p>
<p>Ferguson will order the Washington Department of Health to gather medical providers, reproductive health experts and policy makers to recommend strategies for protecting reproductive freedom. </p>
<p>He said he supports a bill to help provide low-interest loans to police officers, firefighters, behavioral health professional and other public employees for their first homes. </p>
<p>He also acknowledged a bipartisan bill to provide $100 million in grants to local law enforcement agencies to hire and retain officers — one of his priorities. </p>
<p>Ferguson said he would help farmers obtain rebates so they can cope with the complicated surcharge exemption program promised under the state’s two-year-old cap-and-invest program on polluters, including oil companies. Fixing problems with farmers obtaining their surcharge exemptions drew praise from Republican Senate Caucus chairwoman Judy Warnick of Moses Lake. </p>
<p>Governor Bob Ferguson leaves the Senate Chamber after his inauguration at the Washington State Capitol in Olympia on Wed., Jan. 15, 2025. (M. Scott Brauer / Cascade PBS)</p>
<p>In his speech, Ferguson told Braun that he will work with him on “reasonable limits” on the governor’s emergency powers. Republicans criticized former Gov. Jay Inslee hanging on to his COVID-19 emergency powers for more than 900 days. Washington posted one of the lowest deaths-per-capita rates in the nation during the pandemic.</p>
<p>He told Rep. Scarlett Mena, D-Tacoma, that he supports her bill to prohibit National Guard units from other states from entering Washington to advance any president’s agenda without this state’s permission. </p>
<p>“Texas and Montana have adopted similar policies. Washington must join them. And speaking of presidents, let me be very clear — my administration will work with President Trump where we can. We will stand up to him when we must,” Ferguson said. </p>
<p>Republican leaders could live with that stance, saying they would follow the same philosophy with Ferguson. </p>
<p><strong>Topics:</strong> <a href=”https://www.cascadepbs.org/washington-legislature” hreflang=”en”>Washington Legislature</a>, <a href=”https://www.cascadepbs.org/washington-state” hreflang=”en”>Washington State</a></p>
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