The Senate Ways and Means Committee today set the stage for legislators to stand up and be counted on legislation proposed by Gov. Jay Inslee to increase taxes on Washington residents and employers by more than $8 billion per two-year budget cycle.

Sen. John Braun, chair of the Senate budget committee, does not support the proposed tax increases but said allowing the Inslee-requested legislation to move ahead without comment would give lawmakers the chance to determine how much support actually exists.

“The governor and legislative Democrats consistently call for new taxes on Washington residents and employers, but it remains unclear whether or not they fully support the idea,” said Braun, R-Centralia, who serves as chief budget writer in the Senate. “Just this week House Democrats approved a spending wish list of more than $7 billion but declined to share how they planned to pay for it. We cannot wait another month to see if our colleagues across the aisle are serious about their plan to increase taxes on all Washingtonians.”

The governor proposed a capital-gains income tax, carbon tax and a 67-percent increase in the state business-and-occupation tax for service businesses ahead of the 2017 legislative session. The package totals more than $8 billion per two-year budget when fully implemented.

“Over the last four years, we’ve demonstrated we can make historic investments in education and protect and enhance other critical state services without increasing taxes,” said Braun. “We plan to continue that tradition this year as we work together to invest in our schools and fix an education system that is currently inequitable for students, teachers and taxpayers.”

Legislative committees may refer bills to the Senate Rules Committee, the last stop before consideration by the full chamber, with or without recommendation. The Senate budget committee moved the governor’s tax increase legislation without recommendation on the final day for fiscal committees to consider legislation.

Washington voters would decide in this year’s general election whether or not to enshrine the right to hunt and fish in the state constitution under a proposal sponsored by Sen. John Braun. If approved, the state would become the 22nd to constitutionally protect both activities.

“Hunting is a major part of our state’s heritage and a generations-old activity for many families in the Pacific Northwest,” said Braun, R-Centralia. “Sportsmen constantly see more government regulations affecting where and how they can hunt or fish. As demand for public lands increases, they want to know their rights are respected and protected.”

The proposal preserves the right to use traditional means to hunt, fish and harvest wildlife, identifying them as the preferred method of wildlife management in order to promote wildlife and land conservation.

“Every year, hunters hear the special interest call for additional restrictions ranging from location and time of year to increased game limits,” said Braun. “We’re respectful of concerns and we are willing to work together with other outdoor enthusiasts, but the hunters and fishermen I talk to are concerned, and I want them to know their rights won’t be further eroded.”

To qualify for the ballot, Braun’s measure would have to receive support from two-thirds of the Senate and House of Representatives. A simple majority of voters could then add hunting and fishing to the list of rights in Article I of the state constitution.

Similar state constitutional protections were enacted as far back as 1777 in Vermont and as recently as just last year in Indiana and Kansas.

States with constitutional protections for hunting and fishing.

Following the release of the governor’s proposed two-year operating budget today, Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia, questioned the impacts and need for what would be the largest tax and spending increase in state history.

“While I’m pleased to see the governor shares our goal of a world-class education system, it’s disappointing to see his only plan to achieve it means an 8-billion-dollar tax increase and completely lacks meaningful reforms,” said Braun, who now serves as the Senate’s chief budget writer and chair of the Senate Ways and Means Committee. “A 67-percent tax increase on employers, a new energy tax unpopular with voters and a highly volatile capital-gains income tax would hurt job growth and fail to provide the stable and dependable revenues our public schools need.”

Inslee’s plan calls for more than $5 billion in new taxes during the 2017-19 budget cycle, which is structured to balloon to more than $8 billion for future two-year budgets.

The governor’s plan would mean a massive 21-percent increase in state spending over the 2015-17 budget, which runs through next June, and a 39-percent increase from four years ago. If implemented the state would see a 50-percent spending increase during the Inslee administration.

The budget proposal also funds new collective-bargaining agreements, including $700 million in state-employee pay raises, which the governor’s budget office determined to be financially feasible despite needing massive new tax increases to implement them.

If adopted the governor’s plan also would not comply with the four-year balanced-budget requirement in state law, a policy which Braun called “an incredibly important tool to provide budget sustainability.

“While it’s disappointing, it’s by no means surprising as the governor has failed to introduce a balanced budget for five consecutive years now,” Braun said.

“Even with historic tax increases the governor still couldn’t find a way to cut college tuition, reduce the cost to access state parks, expand Meals on Wheels programs for low-income seniors or offer more respite care for families of people with developmental disabilities.

“In the upcoming months lawmakers will continue building on what we’ve done the past four years,” Braun added, “which means working together in a bipartisan manner to craft a budget that make historic investments in public education and protects our economy.”

The 2017 legislative session will begin Jan. 9 when lawmakers return to Olympia for a 105-day session.