February 19, 2020

Revenue forecast makes $30 car tabs even more viable, says Braun

OLYMPIA…Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia and budget leader for Washington’s Senate Republican Caucus, made this statement following today’s adoption of the first quarterly state-government revenue forecast for 2020. The forecast indicates revenues for the 2019-21 budget cycle are $606 million ahead of the November 2019 forecast, for a total estimated revenue...
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February 16, 2020

In the News: Billion-dollar tax hike is latest example of government greed

The Daily News, Longview Feb. 16, 2020 Opinion — Senator John Braun There are a billion reasons to be concerned about a big tax bill signed by the governor Monday after it zoomed through the state Legislature. The word “billion” applies for two reasons. First, the tax takes another billion...
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January 28, 2020

Braun hopes for action on bill to help with impacts of homelessness

Legislation offers grants to assist businesses with security, sanitation needs With time starting to run short for Senate policy committees to move bills forward in the 2020 session, Sen. John Braun is hoping to see action soon on his proposal to address sanitation and security needs in commercial districts with...
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January 21, 2020

Don’t replace botched tax hike, says budget leader, just abandon it

Tax would balloon to $1 billion from $773 million under Senate majority proposal  The state Senate’s majority Democrats should simply repeal the badly flawed business-tax increase that took effect Jan. 1 rather than pursue a new plan that would take far more money from professional-service providers, says Sen. John Braun....
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November 25, 2019

Braun proposes long-term answer to transportation funding

Proposal would slowly shift tax on vehicle purchases away from operating budget OLYMPIA… Sen. John Braun is proposing to add a major new funding source for transportation needs across Washington without imposing a new tax. The Senate Republican budget leader plans to file legislation that would begin shifting the state...
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June 06, 2019

In The News: The 2019-21 Budget (interview with Washington State Wire)

The Wire caught up with Sen. Braun post-session to talk about the budget, tax bills that passed, and his forward-looking priorities. Click here for Part 1.
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May 21, 2019

Braun not surprised by governor’s support for record state budget, huge tax increases

OLYMPIA… Sen. John Braun remembers the big-taxes, big-spending budget Gov. Jay Inslee proposed to lawmakers before their 2019 session, so it was no shock today when Inslee endorsed an avalanche of unnecessary new taxes and a record state operating budget to spend them. “The governor wanted a business-tax increase and...
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May 14, 2019

Braun heads bipartisan call for veto of new $133 million tax

Governor will block hastily approved tax ‘if he’s consistent’, says budget leader OLYMPIA… A bipartisan group of high-ranking state legislators today asked Gov. Jay Inslee to veto a new $133 million tax that came out of nowhere to zoom through the Legislature just before its annual session ended April 28....
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April 28, 2019

Another night, another onslaught of new Democrat taxes

OLYMPIA… The state Senate moved into the final day of the 2019 legislative session with majority Democrats extending their streak of overnight tax votes, the worst of which would slap a 20-percent rate increase on some 40 industries and categories of professional-service providers. That bill was passed at approximately 5...
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