I actually dont mind this question at all. When i passed all the interviews for my current gig, i did a lot of research on what the standard pay for my position

I actually dont mind this question at all. When i passed all the interviews for my current gig, i did a lot of research on what the standard pay for my position was across all the big tech companies in different cities and then I added an extra 10%-15% on top of that when this question came up. I know I asked for more than they budgeted for my position cause they were a bit taken aback with my request. However, I justified it with data points and informed them of perks I had at my previous gig that they did not have. They came back with a slightly lower offer that my original request and I accepted in a heartbeat. My pay increase from my previous job to this one was a HUGE jump and I was happy. If you make it to the negotiation phase, dont be afraid to ask for a lot. They clearly want you at this point. If they had a budget for the position they wanted to stay in, they should have come out first and said but IMO, gave me the upper hand to set the table stakes. Im not looking for a company to come out with a salary so I know if they "value" me after me 5-6 interviews. I know what im worth and I prefer to drive to what I am happy with.