Author Archives: kimberlywirtz

$292 million failure shows state’s incompetence is a feature, not a fluke

CENTRALIA — Senate Republican Leader John Braun, Centralia, issued the following statement today in response to the Seattle Times report that the state has suspended a $292 million IT modernization project after more than a decade of failed progress:

“Suspending this project further exposes a long-standing problem with large state contracts – the chronic mismanagement of taxpayer dollars. That the dysfunction and incompetence of demonstrated here ever got this far without results or accountability is shameful. We have a culture of apathy, excuse-making, and blurred responsibility in our state government today, and this is just one example.

“If this had happened in the private sector, someone would’ve been fired years ago. Instead, we watched the price tag skyrocket and deadlines slip while agency leaders shrugged or got bogged down in power struggles and petty squabbles. That’s not public service — it’s public negligence.

Braun called for accountability for those responsible for overseeing, or hindering, the failed IT project and urged the development of a new oversight structure for large-scale state contracts.

“Washingtonians deserve better. We need a clear process where qualified project managers with real-world experience — not political appointees — are empowered to make decisions and stop waste before it spirals out of control. And this needs to extend beyond IT projects. This process should extend to all state agencies – including the Department of Transportation, which is constantly plagued with missed deadlines and blown budgets because no one provides serious oversight or enforces standards of performance.

“The upcoming 2026 Legislative Session provides an opportunity for the Legislature to rein in government waste and prove that we take our fiduciary responsibility to the people of Washington seriously. If the majority won’t sponsor legislation to hold those in charge more accountable, Republicans will.”

NEWSLETTER: How did Washington issue this driver a CDL?

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

By now, you’ve seen the stories on the news about the commercial truck driver who caused the deaths of three people while performing an illegal U-turn on a three-lane highway in Florida. The press has reported that the driver, Mr. Harjinder Singh, was issued a commercial driver’s license here in Washington.

As it turns out, Mr. Singh is in the United States illegally, but legal immigration status is required by both federal and state law to qualify for a CDL.

A post-crash assessment administered by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) revealed that Mr. Singh had a significant language barrier. He answered only two out of 12 questions correctly on a verbal English test and failed a road sign test, identifying only one of four signs correctly.

How then, did Washington state issue Mr. Singh a commercial driver’s license?

The simple answer is: Because DOL violated both federal and state law.

Existing Law

To legally obtain a CDL in Washington, you must:

Be at least 18 (or 21 for interstate driving)
Hold a valid Washington driver’s license
Submit documentation verifying legal presence or lawful status
Pass both knowledge and practical driving (skills) tests
Meet medical fitness standards

Similarly, federal law also requires proof that someone is in the United States legally in order to qualify for a CDL. As I mentioned, Mr. Singh did not meet this basic requirement and should not have been issued a CDL in any state.

Both the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Washington State Department of Licensing have said they will investigate the incident. When nonpartisan committee staff asked DOL what their timeline would be for their investigation, DOL’s legislative and policy director sent an email reply that included the following statement:

“Regardless of what type of license was issued, Mr. Singh would have received a commercial driver license because he passed all of the required tests and met all requirements.”

Since he is in the United States illegally, we know this is not true. So, how did this happen?

DOL Failure

Simply put, DOL violated state and federal law by issuing the CDL to Mr. Singh.

This glaring oversight will have political ramifications for Washington. Depending on the results of the federal investigation, we could lose $10.5 million a year in federal funding.

Was the law overlooked or ignored? Is staff receiving the proper training to deny licenses to illegal immigrants? We deserve to know.

We also deserve to know how many other unqualified individuals are driving commercial trucks on our highways. Depending on what we learn through the investigations, we may need to address this during the upcoming legislative session. We should, at the very least, align our law with federal law, requiring commercial drivers to be proficient in English, so they are able to read road signage and read emergency notifications.

Democrat-perpetuated Problem

My colleague, Sen. Curtis King, R-Yakima, sponsored a bill (Senate Bill 5464) last session that would have required DOL to update its CDL/immigration status code for clarity. It also would have required the agency to make available the information on how immigration status impacts the ability to get a CDL.

Most importantly, Sen. King’s bill would have required better training for department staff on what kind of documentation is required to prove citizenship/residency.

Unfortunately, majority Democrats killed the bill. Thanks to them, Washington is a “sanctuary state,” and they argued SB 5464 would lead to the DOL reporting illegal immigrants to the federal government.

Did our “sanctuary state” status influence the process at DOL that allowed Mr. Singh to get his license? That remains to be seen. But it’s clear that the law was not followed and three people died because of it.

I’ll be watching as this develops.

If you have questions, you can email me at john.braun@leg.wa.gov.

Sincerely,

John Braun

$292 million failure shows state’s incompetence is a feature, not a fluke

Following is a news release I sent to the press this morning.

CENTRALIA — Senate Republican Leader John Braun issued the following statement today in response to the Seattle Times report that the state has suspended a $292 million IT modernization project after more than a decade of failed progress:

Braun called for accountability for those responsible for overseeing, or hindering, the failed IT project and urged the development of a new oversight structure for large-scale state contracts.

Majority’s massive expansion of sales tax is costly, chaotic and unnecessary

The following is my commentary that appeared in The Centralia Chronicle on Aug. 22.

A colleague of mine was recently told by his teen’s drivers-education school to expect a larger bill this fall because of the “crazy tax hikes signed by the governor.” In this case it’s the new law that will force even more businesses in our state to collect sales tax, starting Oct. 1.

The person who delivered the bad news was apologetic; however, this is the fault of the state’s majority Democrats. A teen-driving course that now costs $650 will soon be closer to $715 once you add the new sales tax — passed primarily to cover the multibillion-dollar pay raises for state workers approved by the previous governor.

Even though it’s estimated to cost nearly $4 billion over four years, the sales-tax hike isn’t the largest of the tax increases that will hit when October arrives. That title belongs to the jump in the business-and-occupation tax rate, which is expected to take another $5.6 billion from Washington employers over four years.

Read the full column.

Fairness in Sports, Food Access, and Forest Stewardship: A Triple Challenge for Washington

NEWSLETTER: What got in the way of helping at-risk youth?

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Recently, The Seattle Times published an editorial that sheds light on why my bill (Senate Bill 5278) to address the dangerous overcrowding at Green Hill School failed to become law—even though it passed the Senate unanimously. I encourage you to read the piece, but I want to briefly explain the issue here.

READ THE FULL EDITORIAL

As many of you know, Green Hill has long faced serious problems: assaults, riots, drug smuggling, overdoses, and sexual misconduct. These conditions have made it impossible for residents to receive the treatment and services the state is obligated to provide—services that are critical to helping them rebuild their lives and reenter society.

One of the main causes of this crisis is a law that allows individuals who committed crimes before age 18 to remain in juvenile facilities until the age of 25. Had they been just a few months older, they would have entered the adult system instead. Unfortunately, the Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF), which oversees Green Hill, does not have the authority to transfer these individuals to Department of Corrections (DOC) facilities—even once they become adults.

That’s where my bill came in. SB 5278 would have allowed for the transfer of certain offenders over the age of 18 into more appropriate DOC placements. The goal was to relieve pressure on Green Hill, improve safety for residents and staff, and restore the facility’s ability to provide rehabilitation and treatment.

The Senate agreed. Every member, Republican and Democrat, voted yes.

But SB 5278 was ultimately halted in the House of Representatives. The session ended without action—without relief for the youth and staff who urgently need it.

Read the statement I released when this occurred.

After the session, The Seattle Times submitted a public records request seeking communications between House leadership and the sponsor of a separate bill (Senate Bill 5296) that proposed sentencing reforms for juvenile offenders. While my bill aimed to solve a pressing problem by relocating violent adult inmates, the SB 5296 focused on changing how young people are sentenced in the future.

The Times reported that internal correspondence suggested the two bills were linked as a “package,” even though they addressed different issues and timelines—and were never tied together in any way. This falsehood was used to justify preventing my bill from moving forward.

This violated the public trust.

I’m disappointed by how it played out, but I’m not giving up.

I will reintroduce my bill in the upcoming session and continue working to bring meaningful reform to our juvenile justice system. Green Hill can—and must—be made safer for the youth housed there and the dedicated staff who show up every day to help them succeed.

Thank you for the opportunity to serve. I’ll keep you updated.

Sincerely,

Senator John Braun

A closer look:

Where’s all the “Climate Commitment Act” money going?

The operating budget passed by the Legislature this past session for the 2025-27 biennium spends $174 million dollars collected through the “Climate Commitment Act,” supposedly to improve Washington’s environment.

Where is that money going?

The Washington Policy Center has been tracking these expenditures and reporting them on its website. If you take a look, you’ll find:

Washington state has collected nearly $4 billion in C02 taxes since the “CCA” took effect in 2023.
More than 70% of the money goes toward increasing government bureaucracy, including hiring government employees and paying for studies.
Only 9% of the $174 million in the operating budget goes toward actual “environmental projects.”
Despite the former governor using asthmatic children as a messaging tool to promote the “CCA,” less than 0.2% of the spending goes toward reducing childhood asthma.

The following excerpt from the WPC website explains the problem further:

“Supporters of these expenditures will argue that government overhead is necessary to manage programs that help achieve Washington’s climate goals. However, that has been the approach for two decades and the state has consistently failed not only to meet its CO2 targets but even to reduce emissions. The state has spent billions of dollars on government programs and bureaucracy, always with the promise that results will follow at some point in the future.”

The capital budget also includes money earmarked for climate projects. I encourage you to visit the website again in the future to see the WPC’s analysis of how that money is being spent as well.

You deserve to know.

Instead of failing our children, focus on making their lives better

The following is an opening excerpt from my most recent commentary in The Chronicle. Read the full commentary.

In November 2020, about eight months into the COVID-19 pandemic, I called attention to how classroom closures were causing academic, emotional and social harm to the majority of K-12 students across our state — especially those from lower-income families, and children with special educational needs.

The 2020-21 school year was only about two months along, yet there were already obvious signs that the state’s remote-learning approach was failing our children both “literally and figuratively,” as I put it in a policy paper shared with my fellow legislators and the news media at that time.

While most classrooms eventually reopened the following spring, the damage had already been done. That could and should have been the low point for our state’s children. Yet the failures have continued in the nearly five years since, and in more ways.

Budget Discipline and Legislative Accountability

SPECIAL EDITION: The truth about how the “Big Beautiful Bill” affects Washington

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

You may have seen headlines claiming that the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” recently passed by Congress will gut health care, close hospitals, or take food away from struggling families.

Let’s be clear: That’s false.

What this new law does is restore common sense to federal spending. It protects programs like Medicaid and food assistance by putting limits on fraud, enforcing eligibility, and ensuring benefits are focused on those who truly need them. Seniors, children, people with disabilities, and low-income parents aren’t affected. The reforms apply only to able-bodied adults without young children—and even then, they can meet the new requirements by working, volunteering, or going to school.

Here in Washington, we have time to prepare. These reforms don’t start to kick in until late 2026, with others phasing in gradually over the following years. There’s no crisis. There’s no need for the governor to call legislators back to Olympia for a special session. Instead, there’s just a lot of political grumbling from people who are taking more of your money through their tax increases but seem to have no interest in stretching and protecting your tax dollars by reforming inefficient government programs and systems.

While some are scaring people with political rhetoric and worst-case scenarios, they’re ignoring the real opportunities this law creates. It opens the door to hundreds of millions in federal funds for rural health care, trims bloated tax giveaways for energy companies and provides meaningful tax relief for working families and retirees.

An irony we can’t ignore is that the governor and legislators who are complaining about the effects of the OBBA are the same people who just passed the largest tax increase and operating budget in Washington state history. The budget offered by Senate Republicans would not have raised any taxes, nor would it have made any cuts to services. Under our budget, Washington would be in a more stable position to weather whatever adjustments need to be made to accommodate federal changes.

It’s also hard to take Gov. Ferguson’s concerns about the welfare of children seriously when he signed off on the defunding of a program to care for drug-addicted newborns, as well as the increase in childcare costs and taxes that will burden families who are already struggling to put food on the table.

You can learn more on our WEBSITE.

As always, I’ll keep fighting to make sure our community is heard—and that our tax dollars are spent wisely. If you have any questions, contact me atjohn.braun@leg.wa.gov.

Sincerely,

Sen. John Braun

Drug-filled burritos and sexual misconduct at the Green Hill School

Last week I gave an interview with King TV about the latest news out of the Green Hill School, which is the juvenile detention facility in Chehalis that houses offenders who were convicted before age 18.

Drugs and violence have been a problem for a long time at the school. However, King TV’s story showed video evidence of a member of the Green Hill staff posing as a Door Dash driver and delivering a burrito that, as it turns out, contained drugs that she was smuggling in for an inmate.

The staff member was caught. But what authorities discovered was that she is allegedly part of a larger web of corruption among staff.

Police investigated a record 21 complaints of staff misconduct last year and this year is on track to have the same result.

At least six of those cases involved female staff who were fired for inappropriate sexual conduct with inmates. At least one of those inmates was convicted of two murders.

If you recall, most of the residents at Green Hill are over 18 and will stay at the facility until age 25 before they can be transferred to a Department of Corrections facility. This situation has caused severe overcrowding that has put everyone at Green Hill in danger.

It is stunning that problems such as these continue to surface, but this is what happens when you warehouse violent offenders in unsafe, overcrowded conditions — conditions that also make it hard to recruit quality staff who won’t commit crimes against, for or with inmates.

House Democrats killed my bill to provide the Department of Children, Youth and Families the tools to move inmates over age 18 to adult correctional facilities, thereby relieving the overcrowding and restoring order at Green Hill. Their ineptitude and political game-playing are direct causes for continuing issues.

I will offer similar legislation for the 2026 Legislative Session and it would be wise for the House Democrats to support it.

Survey results: Adult inmates housed at the Green Hill School

Many of you responded to my one-question survey about what should be done with residents at Green Hill School who are over 18, but are expected to remain at the facility until age 25. These adults are incarcerated alongside juvenile offenders and have created an overcrowding problem that is dangerous for staff and residents.

The results by the numbers…

62% of you feel that inmates over age 18 should be moved to facilities operated by the Department of Corrections.

16% agreed, but only if they were convicted of murder or rape.

7% said they should only be relocated to DOC if they had committed a violent crime while residing at Green Hill School.

Only 3% of you said they should remain at the juvenile facility until age 25 – even though they would have gone straight to a DOC facility if they had committed their crime(s) after they turned 18.

NEWSLETTER: Taxing seniors in nursing homes and their families

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Over the past year, I’ve written to you multiple times about the new and higher taxes Democrats sought to impose. While Senate Republicans successfully fought off billions of dollars’ worth of harmful tax proposals, the Democrat majority still managed to push several across the finish line.

Many of these new taxes have already taken effect—or will soon.

One of the worst, and least known, is a steep per-bed tax hike on nursing homes and long-term care facilities. Depending on the type of facility, the tax rate is doubling or even tripling. That amounts to an extra $126 million burden to our long-term care system over the next four years. Rather than cover that cost, the state is forcing care centers to pass it along to their most vulnerable residents—aging, sick, and dying Washingtonians—and the families who support them.

The irony? The vast majority of workers in our state are already being taxed through their paychecks for “Washington Cares,” a long-term care program Democrats claimed would ease costs. But by increasing the cost of care through this new tax, they’ve made that already-weak benefit even less meaningful. Their own actions undercut the very justification they gave for the program.

It didn’t have to be this way.

Senate Republicans proposed a balanced, responsible budget that didn’t raise a single tax and didn’t cut a single service. But when the opportunity came to debate it on the Senate floor, every single Democrat voted “no.”

Instead, the majority passed a bloated $78 billion budget that hikes taxes by $12.5 billion and cuts billions from essential services. The budget cut funding for the completion of a new 45-bed psychiatric facility and a governor’s veto ended funding for a care center for drug-addicted newborns and. Those critical services were traded away for $4.5 billion in new spending.

To make matters worse, their budget is already out of balance—just months after it passed—thanks to the latest state revenue forecast. The result? The governor is now contemplating calling for a special session to “fix” what Democrats broke.

And how do they plan to fix it? By raising even more taxes and cutting even more services.

I must ask the question: How much of your money is enough? Who will they burden next? How many more vulnerable people will suffer because Democrats insist on taking more and delivering less?

If a special session is called, I’ll make sure you know—because you’ll want to pay close attention to the excuses they give for taking even more from taxpayers.

Had the Senate Republican budget been adopted, we wouldn’t be in this mess.

And if Republicans were in the majority, the budget never would have been $7.5 billion in the red to begin with (to set the record straight, the budget shortfall was NEVER $16 billion; Democrats made that number up, and they’re still using it)

You may learn more about the taxes now taking effect by visiting our website.

If you have questions, you may email me at john.braun@leg.wa.gov.

Sincerely,

John Braun

Sales tax increases too?

Democrats passed a sales-tax increase of $4 billion over four years, and it’s no mystery who will pay for it — you, the consumer.

Just a few of the services that will now add sales tax to your bill:

Childcare
Legal services
Cleaning
Security
Computer/IT services

At a time when the average cost of childcare for an infant in Washington is $20,000 a year, Democrats decided to tax it.

The cost of food, health care, housing, prescription drugs and other everyday goods will take a bigger bite out of your wallet.

You get a little more time to prepare for this tax because it doesn’t take effect until October 1, but it will affect everyone in Washington.

What about the gas tax?

The following is an excerpt from my latest commentary in The Chronicle.

Many people are unhappy about the recent hike in the state fuel tax, especially since the average prices for gas and diesel were already much higher here than in every state except California and Hawaii.

But while that 6-cent jump is big compared to the other gas-tax increases our state has seen over the past century, the main drivers behind Washington’s inflated fuel prices continue to be the cap-and-tax law and the low-carbon fuel standard, both approved by majority Democrats in 2021.

Read the full commentary.

Taxing your home

We are in the middle of a long-term, serious affordable-housing crisis, but Democrats keep passing laws to increase your property taxes.

This time, it will cost taxpayers $1.6 billion, and it won’t just affect homeowners. It will hurt renters, too, as property owners have to pass along the expense through higher rents.

This latest move lifts the limit on the amount local governments can increase your property taxes each year through levies, taking us back to square one in the fight to close the education gap between rich and poor school districts.

Some people ask, “What’s wrong with voters deciding to tax themselves more?”

With regards to education funding, a district with residents who live in expensive houses and can afford to pay higher taxes could pass a higher levy rate and give their schools more money. However, a district with lower property values and a lower median income may not be able to afford to increase their levy and would go without the extra funding.

Their students wouldn’t have the same quality of education or opportunity as those in the wealthier areas.

This makes the level of education funding a district receives dependent on their zip code, widening the gap between students from different economic backgrounds.

This is unfair and this is why, under the “McCleary decision,” we leveled the playing field by capping local levies at 1%.

However, districts that can afford to pay more were unhappy with the cap and they just happen to be represented by Democrats, who are in the majority.

The irony in this situation is that Democrats claim to want equity and this policy is anything but equitable.

Taxing your joy

Several of the taxes target things that give people joy in life. If you enjoy it, there’s probably a tax for it.

A 38% increase in the price of hunting and fishing licenses (Effective July 1)
A $100 increase in the cost of marriage licenses (Effective July 27)
An increase in the cost of liquor licenses, costing customers of bars, restaurants, grocery stores and liquor stores more than $8.5 million per year (Effective July 27)
50% increase in the Discover Pass, which is required to park in Washington state parks

Ferguson complicit in largest tax increase in state history

The Seattle Times criticized Gov. Bob Ferguson for signing the Democrats’ budget that included $12.5 billion in state and local taxes — the largest tax increase in state history.

Although the Gov. Ferguson said this wasn’t how he wanted to start off as governor, he also said he was proud to sign the budget. Which is it?

Is he ashamed or proud of approving a $12.5 billion hit to the people of Washington?

Note: The editorial refers to $9.4 billion in taxes, which only accounts for the state tax increases.

Read the full editorial.

Governor signs Braun bill providing schools with cost-saving student transportation options

OLYMPIA…Gov. Bob Ferguson today signed a bill sponsored by Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia, that will allow schools to use state funding for more appropriate student transportation options when using a school bus is not necessary or cost-effective.

Student transportation to and from school, and to various K-12 programs and services, is funded through the Student Transportation Allocation Reporting System (STARS). Senate Bill 5009 reforms the funding formula to now cover the use of district-owned passenger cars and vans when it is more cost-effective and reasonable than using a school bus to transport only a few students.

Braun said this about his bill:

“When we talk about finding ‘efficiencies’ in state government to cut costs, ensuring taxpayer dollars for K-12 education are spent wisely is at the top of the list. Allowing schools the flexibility to use passenger cars and vans to transport a handful of students may have a relatively small impact on the bottom line, but it makes a lot more sense than paying for only one or two kids to ride a bus that seats 80.

“This new policy will not compromise student safety – drivers still need to meet the same training requirements they do now. Students will need to use seatbelts and follow safety procedures. School districts will be encouraged to use the type of vehicle that is safe and cost-effective for a given situation. My hope is that this new flexibility will translate into savings that can be redirected toward other costs of providing basic education.”

While the section of SB 5009 encouraging schools to use the most cost-effective, approved vehicle option to transport students takes effect July 27, the superintendent of public instruction has until Sept. 1, 2026, to develop rules for drivers transporting students in vehicles other than a school bus.

Braun: UW protests escalate into targeted harassment, criminal behavior

OLYMPIA… Senate Republican Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, issued the following statement today in response to escalating violence and harassment during protests at the University of Washington:

“The events unfolding at the University of Washington have crossed every line of decency and legality. Last night, protesters threw human feces at attendees of a Turning Point USA event featuring athlete and women’s sports activist Riley Gaines. They followed an elderly woman using a cane to her car, called her terrible names, and told her to kill herself. This is not protest—it is targeted harassment and criminal behavior.

“In an extremely troubling development, a Democratic member of the House of Representatives has publicly expressed support for, and a willingness to help, those arrested during these violent protests. This sends a dangerous message that such behavior is acceptable if it aligns with certain political viewpoints.

“Our universities must be bastions of free speech and safety for all students, regardless of their beliefs. This includes members of the public and event organizers who assemble on the UW campus. We need Democrats to speak out against these tactics. I call on all leaders, regardless of party affiliation, to unequivocally denounce these actions and take immediate steps to restore order and protect the rights of every student on campus.”

Braun praises UW officials for response to Monday protests, calls for prosecutions

OLYMPIA…Senate Republican Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, issued the following reaction to Monday’s violent occupation of the Interdisciplinary Engineering Building at the University of Washington by anti-Israel, pro-Hamas protesters. The protests were in opposition to the university’s ties to The Boeing Company.

“Violent antisemitic protests intended to intimidate Jewish students and University officials are troubling and unacceptable. Yesterday’s protesters, reportedly affiliated with the group Super UW, not only disrupted campus operations but also engaged in dangerous activities, including setting dumpsters on fire and barricading entrances, creating a hazardous environment for students and staff. Americans have the right to protest peacefully, but not to threaten people, behave violently or destroy property. That’s not constitutionally-protected protesting – it’s mob intimidation.

“I commend the University of Washington officials and law-enforcement agencies for their swift and decisive response to this illegal occupation. Their actions in arresting approximately 30 protesters on charges such as trespassing, property destruction, and disorderly conduct demonstrate a commitment to upholding the rule of law and ensuring campus safety.

“To deter future acts of violence and disruption, those arrested must now be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Prosecutions will do far more to make it clear that universities must remain bastions of free speech and peaceful protest, not venues for unlawful and destructive behavior.

“I am particularly grateful for President Ana Mari Cauce’s unequivocal condemnation of the violence. She issued a clear message that such behavior will not be tolerated. It is clear that we need to jointly reaffirm our commitment to civil discourse and the principles that uphold our democratic society.

“UW will have another opportunity to demonstrate its opposition to violence and intimidation when Riley Gaines, prominent advocate for women’s sports, visits the Seattle campus to speak tonight. I urge all parties to ensure that this event proceeds without incident – as I would regardless of who is speaking. While people have the right to protest peacefully, the safety and rights of all speakers and attendees must be protected.”

NEWSLETTER: An expensive end to the legislative session — A $77.9 billion operating budget and billions in taxes

Watch my sine die interview with TVW’s The Impact

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

The regular 2025 legislative session wrapped up yesterday, on schedule – although a “special” session can’t be ruled out if the governor takes issue with the new budget.

At times, this session felt even longer than 105 days, especially when fighting against the majority’s determination to approve bad policies that will negatively affect people across the state.

Being in the minority, it’s easy to get frustrated by the limits on our ability to advance bills that are important to our constituents. Sometimes, our successes have to come in the form of stopping bad legislation.

This year, we saw the majority attempt to increase taxes by $21 billion and, despite a with a multibillion-dollar budget shortfall, increase spending in an unsustainable way. That same uncontrolled spending is what created the shortfall in the first place – something the Seattle Times and other media outlets conceded.

Thanks to tens of thousands of Washingtonians rising up to oppose a bill that would have resulted in the largest property-tax hike in state history, the 1% annual cap for property-tax increases without voter approval remains in place.

This doesn’t prevent local governments or the state from trying to raise your property taxes to cover increased expenses, but they will have to ask the voters for permission at the ballot box. That’s how it should be. Government shouldn’t be able to increase your property taxes by 4%, 5% or even 10% without your approval.

Unfortunately, the majority did lift a different cap on local school levies, which will ultimately widen the education gap between kids who live in districts with higher property values and those in areas with lower property values. Rural districts and the Latino community will suffer most.

Once again, a child’s ZIP code will affect the quality of their education – and no one should tolerate such discrimination. This means the state will likely end up back in court, being sued again (as it has been twice before) for an unconstitutional overreliance on local levies to fund K-12 education.

I’ll continue the fight against education inequity and will keep you informed on how this develops.

It continues to be an honor to serve as your Senator and fight for our shared priorities.

The 2026 session doesn’t begin until January, but you may email me at john.braun@leg.wa.gov during the interim with questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

John Braun

20th district projects in the capital budget

The state’s capital budget pays for various construction and improvement projects around the state — everything from school construction to historic restoration. The following projects in our district received funding.

Green Hill School security improvements: $4.5 million

Cascade Community Health: $541,000

Improvement to the 4-H barn at the SW Washington Fairgrounds: $767,000

City of Centralia nitrates solution project: $5 million

Austin Point recreation plan: $521,000

Downtown La Center improvements: $400,000

Pioneer Street slope stabilization: $1.5 million

Chehalis River raw water main replacement: $1.75 million

Rose Way extension: $752,000

LG Borst Park ball field lights: $1.1 million

Toutle River fish collection facility matching funds: $6.5 million

Republican wins

The following is not a full list of all the positive things Republicans accomplished this session, but it gives you a good idea of what we were up against.

A Safer Washington

Secured $100 million to help law-enforcement agencies hire more officers
Stopped the lowering of penalties for sex offenders (SB 5312)
Prevented the state from having the power to decertify county sheriffs elected by the people (HB 1399)
Kept violent felons from petitioning for resentencing, and possibly release, after serving only 10 years in prison (SB 5269)
Preserved tighter restrictions against sex offenders caught in “net nanny” online stings (SB 5312)

An Affordable Washington

Protected taxpayers from an additional increase in taxes of $11 billion
Stopped the pay-per-mile tax (HB 1921/SB 5726)
Prevented a rate change that would allow the largest property-tax increase in state history (HB 2049, in its original form)
Made it easier to build housing through zoning reform (SB 5471)

A Better Future for Washington’s Kids

Protected new mothers receiving Medicaid by preserving 12 months of postpartum maternity care (HB 2041)
Prevented children from being exposed to a harmful, inappropriate far-left agenda in school (SB 5180)
Stopped childcare from becoming even more unaffordable by stopping even more unnecessary regulation (SB 5062)
Kept the majority from raising college tuition by $2,500

Special Mention

Stopped the majority from killing the citizens’ initiative process by putting unreasonable requirements on signature gatherers (SB 5382)

Democrat missteps

The majority made various mistakes this session — bad bills, tone-deaf comments, and a continuing drive to undermine parents’ rights. Here some of the most notable ones.

Causing and overstating the budget shortfall

The budget shortfall was never $12 billion, $15 billion, $18 billion or $21 billion. The true gap was never more than $8 billion, according to our nonpartisan budget staff, which had no incentive to inflate the numbers to support an argument for higher taxes. But the cause was clear – years of the majority’s reckless uncontrolled overspending.

Trying to raid the “rainy-day fund”

The “rainy-day” fund (formally called the Budget Stabilization Account) is not the Democrats’ slush fund. We need to protect it for a real “rainy day” caused by a recession or other disastrous event, not to fund new pet projects and programs.

Pursuing $21 billion in new and higher taxes

Our $ave Washington budget proved that we could pay for current government programs without raising a single tax. Even though the majority ended up imposed $9.6 billion in taxes, it’s less than half what they wanted.

Undermining parents’ rights

Democrats continued to interfere in the parent-child relationship, assume parents are the enemy and expose children to damaging ideas/content.

Failing to stand by women

The majority refused to allow the Senate to vote on a resolution honoring women in sports.

Worsening the education gap

By lifting the cap on school levies, the majority has set the state up for another court battle over overreliance on local levies, which creates an unconstitutional imbalance in the education opportunities available to kids in wealthy areas compared to kids in areas with lower property values.

Giving unemployment benefits to striking workers

Taxpayers are now on the hook to pay up to six weeks of unemployment benefits to workers who have chosen to go on strike. These benefits are supposed to go to workers who become unemployed through no fault of their own.