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OLYMPIA–It is with a mix of encouragement and disappointment that the Senate majority leader says four of the six citizen initiatives to the Legislature "might" have public hearings scheduled before the end of the 2024 session. But don't hold your breath. We are now nearly two-thirds into a 60-day session, with only a handful of committee meetings remaining before adjournment on March 8. Despite repeated efforts by Republicans asking for majority Democrats to hold hearings on the initiatives, w...
When our state's budget surplus reached approximately $15 billion last year, many of us felt it was time to give some of that back to taxpayers in the form of meaningful property tax relief. Unfortunately, that didn't happen. Instead, Democrat budget writers continued a decade-long trend of spending just about every dime given to them. They even changed some rules to take money that should have gone into the state's rainy-day fund, just so they could spend it on new programs and entitlements. Wh...
House and Senate budget writers released their 2023-25 state operating budget proposals recently. It was a reminder that taxpayers have been very kind to the state's coffers as revenue forecasts over the past few years have continued to increase. As a result of taxpayer largess and the majority party's proclivity to spend every dime available, state spending has more than doubled over the past 10 years. Has our population doubled? No. According to the Washington State Office of Financial...
OLYMPIA–As Washington state seeks to find a financial solution to fund road construction projects, address backlogs in transportation maintenance and preservation needs, and fix crumbling infrastructure like bridges, one idea that has gained traction (pun intended) is the vehicle miles traveled (VMT) tax. The VMT is a fee charged to drivers based on the number of vehicle miles traveled, regardless of fuel efficiency. Typically, a user-based approach is a more fair and equitable way of levying f...
OLYMPIA–Growing up on the farm, I heard grandma's sage advice in just about every situation imaginable. "A trouble shared is a trouble halved." "This isn't my first rodeo." "Many hands make light work." When hearing about Kaiser Permanente's change in how its customers could get their prescriptions refilled, what came to mind was this: "It doesn't cut the mustard." Last summer, the Public Employees Benefits Board (PEBB) and the School Employees Benefits Board (SEBB) voted to allow Kaiser P...
OLYMPIA–Various surveys conducted around the state over the last year continue to show that public safety is high on the list of concerns for the average Washingtonian. It doesn't matter if it's someone living in downtown Bellevue or someone residing in the 9th Legislative District. People are feeling less safe and less secure in their homes and communities. According to annual statistics compiled by the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs (WASPC), the numbers support this f...
OLYMPIA–Large-scale bills with huge impacts for all Washingtonians are usually best conceived, perfected, and implemented when many opinions, experiences, and priorities are brought to the table here. I think back to the legislative fixes to the McCleary decision that dealt with education funding and the Hirst decision that dealt with water availability and water rights. No matter what you thought of these legislative fixes, the fact is, they were worked on by legislators, stakeholders, and legislative staff with various backgrounds, i...
OLYMPIA–Over a decade ago, in November of 2007, Washington voters proved their intelligence, foresight, and practicality by approving the state’s constitutional “rainy-day fund.” Here is an excerpt from the Voters’ Guide: “Every year 1% of state revenues are automatically put into the fund. Until the fund reaches 10% of state revenues, the money can only be spent when the economy declines seriously, as it did after 9/11, or if there is a catastrophic emergency requiring immediate action. If other unforeseen circumstances come up, a 60% majorit...
OLYMPIA–It's been more than two months since Gov. Jay Inslee announced his "Healthy Washington–Roadmap to Recovery" plan on January 5. While I am grateful that all of Washington is now in Phase 2 of that plan, when asked repeatedly about what the Phase 3 reopening of our state economy looks like–parameters and definitions–the governor has repeatedly come up empty. Until he held a press conference on Thursday, March 11 (more on that in a moment). Within this vacuum of leadership, and with da...
OLYMPIA–When the Legislature convened last year for the 2020 session, our economy was healthy and increased tax collections gave our state a surplus of about $2.3 billion. Over objections from Republicans who wanted to provide property tax relief, the majority party in Olympia spent this surplus on growing the size and scope of government. However, before the ink was dry on our state's new two-year spending plan, lawmakers were going home to a state – and country – that was just beginning to fe...
OLYMPIA–As the ranking Republican on the House Health Care and Wellness Committee, I'm working hard to make health care more affordable and accessible to our citizens. Anyone who has worked in the health care industry can attest to what an uphill battle this is, with many layers of bureaucracy. A few bright spots in our current health care system are our local health departments and boards of health. At a time when many Eastern Washington citizens feel disenfranchised by the decisions being m...
OLYMPIA–When the Washington State Legislature strays too far on ideology or misguided policy, the citizens of this state are adept at making their voice heard. Last session, a bill was introduced by the majority party in Olympia that would harm hairstylists and other contractors. Many of these were single mothers or second income individuals who desperately needed the freedom in scheduling that being a contractor–instead of an employee–allowed. They came out in force, both on social media and in...
OLYMPIA–Voters around the state should be concerned that their voice is not being heard in Olympia. Two of the first bills passed by the House of Representatives would increase business taxes on employers and potentially raise gas prices by 57 cents per gallon and diesel by up to 63 cents per gallon. Contrast this with recent action at the polls where voters rejected a carbon pricing scheme, have continually rejected a state income tax, and voted in favor of $30 car tabs multiple times. Additionally, in 2015, the Washington Gas Tax Increase Adv...
OLYMPIA–The 2020 legislative session is in full swing and the familiar issues of tax increases, $30 car tabs, gun rights, homelessness, crime and public safety are at the center of much legislative effort and debate. These larger, more broadly impactful policy decisions will play themselves out in front of the political realities of our state. West side, urban ideology still holds sway as Democrats hold significant majorities in both chambers. But being in the minority doesn't mean you can't f...