Inheriting a $16 billion budget shortfall was not the way I wanted to start as governor,” Bob Ferguson said Tuesday.

The $78 billion two-year budget raises state spending by billions of dollars, funding pay raises for state workers and maintaining social and other services.

Gov. Bob Ferguson repeatedly said he would look for budget savings and efficiencies before agreeing to raise taxes on Washingtonians, but on Tuesday – the deadline for doing so – he signed Washington state’s nearly $78 billion,