OLYMPIA… State government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic is suffering from Gov. Jay Inslee’s resistance to calling the state Legislature into session to help with key decisions, Sen. John Braun said today.

Braun, R-Centralia, Republican leader on the Senate Ways and Means Committee, offered this reaction to new restrictions announced Sunday by Inslee. The governor is attempting to put limits on indoor social gatherings and has increased restrictions on much business activity to where they were earlier in the year:

“More than 250 days since the first COVID-19 death was reported in our state, it’s clear the pandemic is too big for one person or one branch of government to handle. The state’s response has consisted primarily of unilateral mandates from the governor, and no matter how well-intentioned he may be, no American would support the idea that a chief executive should use emergency powers indefinitely to decide any important issue. The people of our state have become tired of having their lives controlled and disrupted by one person. The state’s response would be more effective and better received if the entire Legislature is involved, so that people in all 39 counties could have confidence that their perspectives are being considered.

“If two heads are better than one, then all the heads in the state Legislature plus Governor Inslee’s must be better than the governor’s alone. We have ideas for tax, fee and regulatory relief as well as financial assistance to help small businesses survive and recover – steps that can be taken without putting a larger hole in the state budget – and it’s clear the number of small businesses needing help is only going to grow due to the governor’s new round of restrictions. Also, there are about 300 million dollars in federal pandemic aid that still need to be allocated before the year ends. These are decisions the Legislature needs to make because our branch has budget authority, and it would be smart to make them during a special legislative session that is tightly focused on pandemic relief, sometime in the next month. I realize the 2021 legislative session is less than two months away, but the agenda for that is already full enough.

“We can look at the same COVID-19 statistics as the governor and come to different conclusions about what they mean and how to respond. The new round of restrictions on businesses ignores the fact that it’s in the best interests of employers to ensure their customers and employees feel as safe as possible. The unenforceable new limits on social gatherings go against the idea that the people of our state care deeply about the safety and well-being of those around them. No one is questioning that the pandemic should be taken seriously, or that we should all take precautions to limit the spread of the virus. But it’s one thing to inform the people, and trust them, and another thing to dictate how they should live. The dictates need to end.”

OLYMPIA…Sen. Lynda Wilson and Sen. John Braun made this comment today after Gov. Jay Inslee’s office abruptly disbanded the Business Recovery Legislative Task Force after only five meetings since April 17. The group comprised two legislators from each of the Legislature’s four caucuses.

“The sudden demise of the Legislative Task Force is surprising because the governor has acknowledged the state is looking at a long recovery from the COVID-19 situation. There is much more work this group could and should be doing to help guide that recovery. We were encouraged that the governor seemed to be moving away from a central-planning approach and was interested in considering other opinions, but this ended almost as soon as it began.

“The legislative branch is going to have to pick up many of the pieces from the state’s response to the pandemic. It makes sense for us to have open communication with the executive branch about that response. There ought to be a way for us to ask questions and make suggestions aimed at a safe, effective restart, whether it’s about collecting data or about minimizing the confusion and concern our businesses are experiencing. We’re disappointed about being shut out of the process again.”

Braun, R-Centralia, and Wilson, R-Vancouver, were among the Senate Republicans who helped develop the first plan for restarting Washington’s economy, released the same day as the task force’s first meeting. They also serve on the Senate Ways and Means Committee.

OLYMPIA…The state Legislature’s Republican budget leaders today offered these statements following the signing of the supplemental state operating budget for 2019-21, which included nearly 150 line-item vetoes.

From Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia, budget leader for the Senate Republican Caucus:

“I appreciate the governor’s efforts to reduce spending. Knowing how the stay-at-home order is going to mean a big hit to state revenues, it makes sense to lower the cost of state government as much as possible, as soon as possible. Decreasing or eliminating an appropriation through a veto now is simpler than waiting until after this budget goes into effect; then the very same reductions are viewed as cuts to existing services, which are harder to accomplish politically.

“A case could have been made for vetoing every bit of new spending that doesn’t support the state’s COVID-19 response. That would save more than 700 million dollars in the current budget – money that could be redeployed toward public-health or economic-recovery measures down the way, or saved to lessen the budget deficit we will likely face in 2021.

“I had encouraged the governor to pump the brake harder on new spending; I continue to encourage him to start releasing the brake on the economy by looking for places where we can safely get people back to work.”

From Rep. Drew Stokesbary, R-Auburn, budget leader for the House Republican Caucus:

“I commend the governor for his decision today to veto $445 million in new spending from the 2020 supplemental budget. Many of the vetoed items were good ideas that enjoyed popular support. His decisions were not easy, but in light of the severe impact to state tax revenues we are experiencing, his course of action was the right one.

“With that said, I had hoped the governor would issue additional vetoes for other new spending that is not necessary for the state’s COVID-19 response and was not part of his initial budget request. But I do appreciate the governor’s willingness to take the difficult, but necessary, steps that he did.

“I now encourage the governor to work with state agencies to begin reducing current spending across state government. Washington did not seek out this fight. I am confident it is a fight that we can and will win together, but winning will require that we cut back on unnecessary spending now to ensure the state has adequate fiscal resources to continue providing critical services to those who depend on them.”

OLYMPIA…Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia and budget leader for Washington’s Senate Republican Caucus, made this statement about the governor’s decision to extend by one month the “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” order issued March 23.

“This is a sound decision. From a public-health standpoint it makes sense to continue limiting the movement of Washington residents. I do hope some thought has been given to what this will mean from an economic standpoint, because we need a strong private sector to support the public services and programs that benefit so many people. Coming out of this crisis with a devastated economy would not only prolong the pain so many are already feeling but also harm the state budget. That would be terrible news for people with developmental disabilities, seniors, foster families, schoolchildren, people experiencing homelessness, the hardworking taxpayers and so many more.

“We need to do what we can to preserve critical industries, such as residential construction, so that temporary job loss does not become permanent, homelessness does not worsen and food shortages don’t develop. People need to have jobs to return to when ‘Stay Home, Stay Healthy’ ends. They are looking to their leaders to not only protect their lives but also their way of life.

“As the people of our state prepare to adjust to this stay-at-home extension, it also would be helpful and appropriate for the governor to keep them informed about the metrics he’s using to decide when it’s time to reopen schools and the parts of the economy that were abruptly closed. I asked for those several days ago, to no avail, which raises questions about how the decision today was reached. The governor touched on some data points during the announcement but he owes the people maximum transparency on this issue. Washingtonians can work through hard challenges. If we know what is being measured, and the targets needed to reduce the isolation and restart our economy, it would help all of us to stay focused on behaviors that will get us there the soonest and allow people a sense of stability. That would be good for everyone.”

“This is unbelievably sad. Trooper Justin Schaffer gave his life to keep the people of our state safe, attempting to end a pursuit of a suspected robber wanted in two counties. He was a young husband, a trooper since 2014, the son of a police chief. He is the 30th trooper to make the ultimate sacrifice in the 99-year history of the WSP. While so many are rightfully concerned at this time about an illness they can’t see, our law enforcement officers and other first responders are still putting their lives on the line against the dangers that are more familiar to us. They deserve our greatest respect.”

— Senator John Braun

OLYMPIA…Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia and budget leader for Washington’s Senate Republican Caucus, offered this statement about the supplemental operating budget proposed today by the state Senate’s Democrat majority.

“The majority could have done something truly memorable with this budget. With the state’s revenue situation running 1.5 billion dollars ahead of predictions, the Democrats could have delivered the 30-dollar car tabs approved by voters in November, or another form of major tax relief. Instead, their proposal simply spreads most all of that money around between agencies — another example of government first, taxpayers second. That’s disappointing because opportunities like this are rare.

“While there are good things in this proposal, that’s to be expected from so much additional spending. I see an appropriation related to the homelessness situation, yet the majority is ignoring the public-safety and accountability components that should be part of the comprehensive response taxpayers deserve. To focus only on funding reflects the same one-dimensional approach the governor has taken.

“The lack of really meaningful tax relief in this plan is more evidence of the government greed we saw with the billions in unnecessary tax increases approved last year and the billion-dollar business-tax hike approved just a couple of weeks ago. Republicans are listening to the people, and the people want some of their money back; all this taxing and spending makes you wonder who the Democrats are listening to.”

The Daily News, Longview

Feb. 16, 2020