In the proposed 2026 supplemental budget Gov. Bob Ferguson released last month, he proposes to take $569 million in Climate Commitment Act revenue and direct them to the Working Families Tax Credit.

The following is a statement from Front and Centered Political Manager Guillermo Rogel Jr. in response:

“Front and Centered recognizes the budget challenges that continue to put a strain on Washington State’s social safety net. Food, housing, and medical assistance programs which help keep thousands of low-income families afloat are facing cuts at the state and federal level.

“The legislature and governor must be creative in their approach so that the budget is not balanced on the backs of our most vulnerable populations. If protecting and investing in our low income communities is Washington’s goal we must also protect and invest in community climate resilience. Climate change is often referred to as the ‘great exacerbator.’ We’ve seen, most recently through the extreme flooding in Western Washington this Winter, but also through the impacts of wildfires and extreme heat on other parts of the state, that climate disasters can destabilize or push households into poverty. Investment in climate resilience is investment in the economic resilience and wellbeing of Washington families — one should not happen at the expense of the other.

“The Front and Centered coalition does not support Governor Ferguson’s proposal to shift the funding source for the Working Families Tax Credit entirely to the Climate Commitment Act. This move does not live up to the spirit of the law which is to transition us away from fossil fuels, assist overburdened communities as we transition into a clean energy economy, and hold industry accountable to the state’s climate goals. Governor Ferguson’s proposal sets a dangerous precedent where additional Climate Commitment Act revenue could be redirected to other programs.

“Front and Centered has lobbied in support of the Working Families Tax Credit and we continue to be a part of its implementation. We understand the positive impact this has had on low-income households across the state, it’s a program that must be maintained and funded through the state’s general fund.

“Voters in 2024 upheld the Climate Commitment Act with the understanding that cap-and-trade revenue would be invested in both climate solutions and communities hit first and hardest by the impacts of climate change. As a convener and representative of such communities across Washington State, we urge that Climate Commitment Act revenue go to where they were promised. Exploration of progressive revenue options must take priority over balancing the budget on the backs of Washingtonians most impacted by climate change.”