On May 7, 2025, David May, the President of Bellevue College, sent out an email titled “President’s Message: Continuing to Navigate Budget Uncertainty” where he discussed the delay in the state’s proposed $77.8 billion biennial budget. It is still unknown what the impacts are, but according to President May, “The impact will be real and it will be felt across our college.”
But what is this budget intended for? It is a two-year budget that is used to “fund schools, state prisons, mental health services, homeless services and more” (Cascade PBS). Washington lawmakers have already approved the budget, now all it takes is Governor Bob Ferguson’s approval for the budget to be enacted. This budget is a bit more worrying than those of previous years, however, since there is a projected shortfall of $16 billion (The Daily Chronicle). Many politicians have wondered how to bridge this gap, with many Democrats advocating for a wealth tax. However, this tax was not popular, and instead, Governor Ferguson argued to reduce spending in other areas, specifically services.
However, this does not mean that taxes are not a big part of the budget; “The final budget, as approved by the Legislature, includes $4.3 billion in new taxes over the next two years,” (Cascade PBS). Most of these taxes are from businesses and sales tax.
In an interview with a Bellevue College Student, they stated, “As an international student, I am a bit worried about what’s going on with the budget. With so much uncertainty, I don’t know what the future will look like.”
President May echoes this in his email as well, but reassures students that Bellevue College will remain focused on its mission to provide its students with the best learning environment possible. Time will tell what the future holds, but for now, it seems that Bellevue College is ready for any possible changes in the future.
