John Braun

Legislators should use projected increases in tax revenues to save taxpayers money in the long term and provide financial stability for the state, according to Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia. Today’s meeting of the Washington State Economic and Revenue Forecast Council saw the state’s chief economist announce a $348 million increase...

For one week and counting top state officials have been unresponsive to a request from Sen. John Braun to help prevent school closures. On Aug. 24 the Senate Republican budget leader sent a letter to Gov. Jay Inslee, state Attorney General Bob Ferguson and Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal...

With the threat of teacher strikes looming in local school districts throughout the state, Sen. John Braun called on Washington’s top elected officials to fulfill their moral and legal obligation to ensure students can return to the classroom on time. On Thursday Braun sent a letter to Washington state’s governor,...

Sen. John Braun continued calling for significant mental-health reforms and effective executive leadership following Monday morning’s announcement that Western State Hospital, the state’s largest mental-health treatment facility, has lost federal Medicare certification and the more than $50 million in federal funding that went with certification. “Washington residents need and deserve...

With the Washington State Supreme Court announcing Thursday that the state has complied with its constitutional obligation to amply fund public schools, Sen. John Braun offered the following statement. Braun, R-Centralia, served as chair of the Senate Ways and Means Committee in 2017 and was the prime sponsor of the...

Following a deadly school shooting today in Santa Fe, Texas, Washington State Senator John Braun called for a special legislative session to improve school safety before students return to class for the 2018-19 school year. Braun said as both a lawmaker and parent, he wants the Legislature to continue building...

The governor is scheduled to sign legislation today contracting out employment of the state’s 35,000 individual home care providers, which will cost taxpayers tens of millions of dollars, take away workers’ rights and hide negotiations from public disclosure, according to Sen. John Braun. The bill privatizing management of Washington’s home...

The supplemental operating budget approved today by the Washington State Legislature did so without support from Sen. John Braun, who cited the lack of fiscal responsibility and meager property tax relief as primary reasons. The spending plan passed with the lowest amount of support of any operating budget since 2009....

Although state government expects to take in $2.3 billion in additional tax revenue, the Senate Democrat majority is still looking to raid budget reserves using what Sen. John Braun called a felony budget gimmick. Braun said the Democrats’ proposed amendment to Senate Bill 6614 violates the spirit and intent of...