Author Archives: kimberlywirtz

Property tax increase bill dies, won’t get a vote

 

OLYMPIA…Senate Republican Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, made the following comments in reaction to the announcement that the proposal to allow local governments to raise property taxes by up to 3% annually without a vote of the people is dead for this legislative session.

The Democratic sponsor of Senate Bill 5770 told The Washington State Standard that the bill, which was in the queue to come to the Senate floor for a vote Thursday, will not be brought forward.

“This is a win for the people of Washington. Senate Bill 5770 could have resulted in the largest property tax increase in our state’s history – without a vote of the people. This bill is overwhelmingly unpopular. People can’t afford a 3% annual increase in their property taxes. And renters can’t afford another tax that could push them out on the street. I’d like to think Democrats are starting to listen to people’s very real concerns.

“Counties who claim they will need to make cuts to services because they can’t triple their annual increase to their property taxes is misleading. They can raise taxes that high IF they can get people to vote for it, but not without voter approval. Some counties, such as King County, spent one-time federal COVID-19 funding on ongoing programs. And now that money is gone. That’s bad budgeting. Pierce County was smarter with their budget and won’t have to cut services. Some counties have a spending problem, not a revenue problem.”

Letter to Gov. Inslee regarding Green Hill School

Sent to Gov. Jay Inslee on Feb. 9, 2024

 

Governor Inslee,

It’s no secret that the environment at Green Hill School in Chehalis has become extremely
dangerous for students and staff. News reports have shown you claiming the situation at the
facility is improving. The reports of repeated riots, multiple drug overdoses, smuggling of
contraband into the facility, employee misconduct, lack of proper supervision and other incidents
paint a different picture – one of chaos and lawlessness.

When the chief of police in Centralia, Stacy Denham, requested that you investigate the facility,
you dismissed his concerns and the firsthand reports of how bad the situation had gotten. When
asked about the staff storing contraband in lockers rather than turning it over to law enforcement,
as required by law, you claimed there had been a misunderstanding and said things were
improving thanks to the state taking stronger measures to keep drugs out of the facility.

I assure you that things are not improving, assaults are more frequent, and drugs are still flowing
into Green Hill School.

According to a news report on Feb. 6, there have been thirty-four 9-1-1 calls from the facility
since you made the claim that stronger measures are being enacted.

In a single week in January, four students overdosed on fentanyl. More than one of those young
men required multiple doses of the rescue drug Narcan to survive. Other students who have not
used drugs in the past are being pressured to use by those who possess smuggled opioids, Xanax,
and other illegal substances. Riots are becoming more common. And gang activity is rampant.

In addition to inadequate protocols and staff misconduct resulting from poor management by the
Department of Youth, Children and Families, the change in law that opened Green Hill School to
students between the ages of 18 to 25 created even more problems. Majority Democrats who
passed the law – which you signed and I opposed – made a huge mistake.

Adults do not belong locked up with children.

Since that’s not likely to change, the challenge is for you to make it work. The change in law that
moved adults to Green Hill School was poorly implemented and what we are seeing now is the
disastrous fallout.

I ask you again to launch a complete and credible investigation into the staff, policies,
procedures, and executive mismanagement at Green Hill. Get to the root causes of the
dysfunction and take swift, meaningful, and common-sense actions to fix them. If staff have
engaged in illegal activity, such as smuggling drugs into students or refusing to comply with the
law, ensure their prosecution.

I also ask you to stop ignoring and covering up the serious problems brought to light by law
enforcement, the press and Green Hill staff who have blown the whistle on the facility.

Policies passed by majority Democrats over the past many years to improve the juvenile justice
system are a failed experiment in the name of compassion. It is not compassionate to allow
Green Hill School students to be injured, to overdose or to die.

The duty to address this problem is yours.

Sincerely,
Sen. John Braun
Senate Republican Leader
20th Legislative District

 

DOWNLOAD THE LETTER

Executive mismanagement, bad law result in child’s death

OLYMPIA…Senate Republican Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, released the following statement after foster families protested at the Capitol yesterday against a bill they believe is partly to blame for the death of a 3-week-old Port Townsend infant born with fentanyl in its system who died after being placed in the care of its father by the Department of Children, Youth and Families. The father is a drug addict without a stable home.

The protesters demanded the repeal of House Bill 1227, also known as the “Keep Families Together Act.” The law made it more difficult for children to be removed from homes by child protective services. It requires proof of imminent physical harm or risk. Although intended to protect low-income families, it is negatively affecting children from parents who are active fentanyl addicts. This was the case with the death of the infant in Port Townsend.

DCYF, an executive agency overseen by the governor, reportedly chose to place the infant with the father, who had passed a urinalysis drug test, without supervision. The baby’s mother is also reportedly addicted to drugs.

Immediately following the placement, the father stopped complying with DCYF requirements and would not return messages. Police discovered him in a homeless encampment. He told police the infant was dead and led them to bushes in a Port Townsend park where the body was hidden. The baby’s mother told police the father passed the drug test by purchasing clean urine on the black market.

“How many more children are going to die because of laws that favor offenders or because DCYF either doesn’t do its job or does it so poorly that they place an infant with unsuitable, and even dangerous, adults? I wish this kind of tragedy was rare, but it is not. Children like this baby are victims of their family situation, but they are further failed by the Legislature and DCYF. There should be a full audit of the laws that govern DCYF’s policies and procedures on child welfare and safety. We need to take a hard look and see if we can identify things that need to be corrected and stop pretending the child-welfare system isn’t broken.

“Although House Bill 1227 was intended to help low-income families keep their children, it is hurting low-income children by keeping them with caregivers who can’t even take care of themselves. The infant who died should have been removed from his parents and placed with someone with a stable home and without a recent history of addiction.

“The state has paid hundreds of millions of dollars in settlements to families who have lost children or vulnerable adults as a result of DCYF’s terrible decisions and laws that undermine children’s safety. Authorities are still looking for Oakley Carlson, the Grays Harbor girl who was taken from a safe and stable foster home by DCYF and put back in the care of her parents, despite their history of drug use, child endangerment and controlled-substance charges. Last year, Representative Jim Walsh sponsored the ‘Oakley Carlson Act’ to improve the operation and oversight of Washington’s child-welfare system, but Democrats killed it in committee. He has reintroduced it this year, but Democrats let it die.

“Legislative Democrats seem resistant to acknowledging the magnitude of this problem or allowing anyone to fix it.”

Bill to protect rights of victims and survivors passes Senate

OLYMPIA…A bill sponsored by Senate Republican Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, that would prioritize the safety of crime victims by expanding their right to be informed of the trial and sentencing hearing of the offender in their case passed the Senate unanimously Tuesday.

Senate Bill 5635 applies to victims and the survivors of victims and would also allow them to present a statement in person or by representation at the sentencing hearing. It requires that victims’ safety be more of a factor when the court considers bail, as well as requires that victims or their survivors to be informed of the offender’s place of incarceration, their release date (if any), and escape by the offender.

Included in the bill is the Washington State Legislature’s intent to provide funding to support crime victim advocates and prosecutors as they work to protect the rights of victims, their survivors, and any witnesses of crimes.

“With crime at record levels, victims of crime – or their survivors – need assurance that their rights, security, and safety are taken seriously,” said Braun. “They should have the opportunity to speak to the court, and their safety must be considered when determining bail for their offender. These seem like basic rights, but they are important for victims. They are a big step forward. This bill places a higher priority on the rights of those an offender has harmed. That’s the balance our courts have been missing.”

SB 5635 now heads to the House of Representatives for consideration.

ALERT: Democrat bill to TRIPLE the increase in property tax

A bad bill Senate Democrats sponsored last year is being given a chance this year to move forward. Senate Bill 5770 would triple the 1% cap on the growth of local property taxes, taking $6 billion more of your money over the next 12 years.

It is likely to come to the Senate floor for debate and a vote.

You can still oppose the bill by contacting the offices of the 20 Democrats who sponsored the bill and tell them how you feel about it.

If the Senate votes on the bill and the majority passes it, it will go to the House of Representatives. If they decide to give the bill a hearing in the House, you would have another opportunity to testify against it or share written testimony. 

Democrats claim the money will pay for better law enforcement and more public school services for children with disabilities.

So why is this bill bad?

  • Bottom line: Raising property taxes would make the affordability crisis in our state worse. Lifting the 1% cap on annual growth goes against the will of the voters.
  • Government doesn’t have a revenue problem. It has a spending problem.
  • Tripling the property tax rate cap is just plain wrong. Can’t Washingtonians get a single year where Democrats aren’t digging deeper into their pockets?
  • Democrat concern for public safety seems hollow given how their policies have gutted police departments, vilified law enforcement, put offenders’ rights above victims’ rights, and created a revolving door in our criminal justice system.
  • Funding services for children with disabilities should NEVER depend on a new tax. These programs should be funded BEFORE other programs.
  • Democrats like to say that additional money is needed to fund things we are already required to provide. Their tactic is to fund new spending out of the budget and say they need new money to fund core programs – to meet our Constitutional obligations. It’s manipulating the public into allowing them to grow spending.
  • Property tax increases hit everyone. They hit seniors on fixed incomes, middle class families trying to afford higher prices on gas and groceries, and renters who will pay higher rents to cover the higher taxes housing providers have to pay on multi-family units.
  • Increased property taxes also make inflation worse because business owners have to raise prices to cover the increased overhead.
  • Higher property taxes translate into higher housing costs, for homeowners and renters alike. How can Democrats say they want to provide affordable housing while also making housing more expensive for everyone?
  • We have a severe housing shortage. Owning a home is increasingly out of reach for many, even with rising incomes across the state, because they simply can’t save enough to break into the housing market. This makes the problem worse.
  • Higher property taxes will put more people on the street.

Washingtonians can’t afford to have another $6 billion taken from them by the government! They are already having to go without on many essential items because prices are too high.

 

Government Revenue Growth Over Last Decade

1. State revenue: 6.5% avg annual growth
2. Five largest cities: 6.5% avg annual growth
3. 30 largest cities: 6.1% avg annual growth
4. Counties: 5.7% avg annual growth

Inflation average (2012-21):

• Implicit Price Deflator (IPD) = 1.6% avg annual growth
• Consumer Price Index (CPI) = 2.4% avg annual growth

 

STOP raising taxes.

STOP making housing even less affordable.

Fund priorities from existing revenue.

Provide meaningful tax RELIEF instead.

NEWSLETTER: Taxes that will increase the cost of housing during a housing crisis are a bad idea

Watch: My weekly video update – session, taxes and natural gas

 

FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS,

We are about to hit some milestones in this 60-day legislative session, which makes it a good time to explain what happens to legislation from here.

Next Wednesday, Jan. 31, is policy-committee cutoff. This is the deadline for the Senate’s 12 policy committees to take action on bills introduced here in the Senate. Legislation not moved forward by then is considered “dead.” (The House has the same deadline for its bills.)

The bills passed by policy committees that do not have a cost associated with them will wait to be pulled to the Senate floor for a debate and vote.

Those with a cost to them (which is estimated in what’s called a “fiscal note”) will go, depending on the topic, to one of the Senate’s two budget committees: Ways & Means, which handles the operating and capital budgets, or Transportation, which handles the transportation budget. If passed out of either committee, these bills also begin the wait for a floor vote.

Not all bills that make it out of committee survive to reach the floor. That decision belongs to the majority party. Bills passed by the Senate are sent to the House, where they begin start the committee process over again – and vice versa in the Senate committees for bills passed by the House.

At each step, the number of bills moving forward decreases. The majority Democrats always allow more of their own bills to make it to the governor’s desk than those sponsored by Republicans. This means many good Republican bills will die somewhere along the way, and sometimes it is simply because they are from Republicans.

The bills that pass out of both chambers are sent to the governor for what more often than not is a ceremonial signature – although some bills are written to become law as soon as they are signed. Otherwise they become law at a later date, such as 90 days after the session ends, or even the following calendar year.

The deadlines for acting on legislation come up much sooner in even-numbered years when the session is limited to 60 days instead of 105 like last year’s. It’s like running a marathon in the time it takes to run a sprint.

Even with the rapid pace of this session, I welcome you to contact my office if you have a question or concern. You can email me at john.braun@leg.wa.gov. 

Regards,

John Braun

 

Watch: Recovery Washington presser

The opioid crisis in Washington is out of control. On top of the role fentanyl is playing in the crime rate, and homelessness, there’s the shocking death rate from overdoses. Legislators on both sides of the aisle have bills this session focusing on this issue. Sen. Chris Gildon, R-Puyallup, Sen. Lynda Wilson, R-Vancouver, and I held a news conference this week to talk about four bills we are sponsoring.

Watch the press conference.

Read the full press release.

You can’t make housing more affordable by making it more expensive

 

Two tax bills proposed by majority Democrats this session could have a devastating impact on the availability of affordable housing.

I’ve written about Senate Bill 5770 before. This is the bill that triples the allowable growth factor of state and local property taxes, moving the annual cap to 3% from the 1% that has been in place since 2001. If passed, state or local government could increase your taxes by up to 3% a year without voter approval. As introduced, the bill would cost taxpayers $12 billion over 10 years, and it would compound from there.

You also need to know about a bill over in the House that would raise the real estate excise tax (REET), which is the tax paid on the sale of a piece of property. House Bill 2276 would increase the REET on properties valued at over $3 million. The bill is expected to raise $3 billion every two years and is being sold as a tax on only the very wealthy.

While on the surface a REET increase might seem to have no effect on rent prices, the opposite is true. Multi-family properties such as apartments, and other rental units such as senior living centers, would have to pass the increased tax along in the form of higher rent. It will make those rentals more expensive. This is the opposite of what we should do to increase the supply of housing people can afford.

Some might argue for a rent-control law to cap the amount a property owner can ask from tenants. But if owners can’t seek additional revenue to pay the taxes, or other expenses like utilities and maintenance, they may have to sell the property, which puts the stability of that housing at risk. And it could put more families on the street. High rent and scarce housing are both serious problems faced by Washingtonians, but we must not push fixes that would make the situation worse.

 

Banning a personal income tax in Washington

INITIATIVE 2111

Initiative 2111 was certified Wednesday. It would ban the adoption of a personal income tax in Washington. The people of Washington have overwhelmingly rejected an income tax 11 times.

Our state constitution already does not allow a graduated income tax, meaning an income tax that would tax people at different rates based on income level. Even so, Democrats continue to fight for a statewide income tax, seeing small victories (like their tax on capital-gains income – keep reading for more on that) as a path toward a statewide income tax like Oregon’s.

I hope this initiative is given a committee hearing. If I am given the opportunity to vote, I will strongly support a ban on income taxes in Washington. We must respect the will of the people. 

 

Repealing the capital gains income tax

INITIATIVE 2109

Another of the initiatives to the Legislature that has been certified by the Secretary of State is Initiative 2109, which would repeal the capital-gains income tax put in place in 2021.

Democrats are fighting hard against this initiative. Fuse Washington, a progressive political group, claims I-2109 would “steal billions of dollars in funding from early learning and education to give a tax cut to Washington’s wealthiest to 0.2%.”

Despite a ruling by the liberal Washington Supreme Court that says otherwise, the capital gains income tax is just that — an income tax. It is not an excise tax, as the Democrats who created it also claim. All 49 other states consider it an income tax. The IRS considers it an income tax. And a graduated income tax like the capital gains tax is unconstitutional. The Washington Constitution is clear on that.

In emails uncovered through a public-records request by the Washington Policy Center, legislative Democrat leaders have stated clearly that their capital-gains tax is just the first step toward a full-blown, statewide income tax. 

Before the ink was even dry on the capital-gains tax bill, Democrats were slipping into the budget an expansion of the tax…just as we predicted they would. When Democrats do expand the tax, it will target small business owners, family farms, entrepreneurs, and restaurant owners.

For now, Republicans are asking that I-2109, I-2111 and the other four certified initiatives to the Legislature receive public hearings. This is in line with the state constitution, which clearly states initiatives are to take precedence over all other legislation except budget-related bills. The speaker of the house recently claimed that of the 20-plus initiatives certified to the Legislature since the 1990s, only about half received hearings — as if Democrats’ past ignorance of the constitution is a reason for doing it again now. That is not a justification to avoid giving these initiatives a hearing. It’s an excuse.

You may contact majority Democrats to push for a hearing on these and the other initiatives. As with Initiative 2111, I will vote to approve this legislation, if given the opportunity. If the Democratic majority refuses to hear the bills, I will vote for them when they appear on November’s ballot.

Senate Majority Leader

Speaker of the House

 

My bills that will be heard in committee this week

Senate Bill 5850: Reduce chronic absenteeism in K-12 public schools.

Senate Bill 6033: Allows the open carry of firearms for ceremonial purposes on the Washington State Capitol Campus.

Senate Bill 6280: Provides for veteran parking privileges.

Senate Bill 6285: Ensures the timely and balanced use of impact fees to help reduce costs factored into building a home.

 

Other action on my bills this coming week

The following bills of mine are expected to be voted out of committee this week, which means they would go to the Senate Rules Committee for consideration. It is from this committee that they could be pulled to the Senate floor for a vote.

Senate Bill 5099: Creates the tribal opioid prevention and treatment account (see story about Recovery Washington).

Senate Bill 6029: Establishes criteria for detached accessory dwelling units outside urban growth areas. This is intended to assist with affordable housing.

Senate Bill 6031: Makes student transportation funding more flexible so it can include vehicles of various types, such as vans, that would meet students’ needs.

Senate Bill 6032: Fosters community engagement with law enforcement at religious schools.

 

Important News Clips

 

Mistaken “yes” vote on SB 5462 explained

The following is my response to inquiries regarding the “yes” vote I made in error on Senate Bill 5462.

 

Thank you for checking in on this bill. I was pulled off the floor to discuss another matter and thought they were voting on a different bill when they called my name. After they recorded the vote (which was just seconds later), it was impossible to change. Even though my vote made no difference in the passage of the bill, I immediately asked that the error be recorded officially into the journal.

I’ve clipped the part of the journal that pertains to that bill, and you will see that below. My “Statement for the Journal” is at the bottom of the clip. Here is the link to the online journal where the clip came from: https://leg.wa.gov/Senate/SDJ/Documents/2024/SJ_24_010.pdf

SB 5462 contains bad policy, and I have always been opposed to it. I voted “no” on the legislation last year. If you go to this link – https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=5462&Year=2023&Initiative=false – and look under bill history, you will see a link called “View Roll Calls”. You can see my “no” vote there.

Thank you again for taking the time to ask about this. I really appreciate it. There are others who haven’t cared to ask for details before jumping to conclusions. It’s too bad.

 

Regards.

Senator John Braun

Senate Republican Leader

20th Legislative District

Leg Building Room 314

360-786-7638

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bill on Holocaust, genocide education to receive Senate hearing tomorrow

OLYMPIA…A bill from Senate Republican Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, that would require Washington public schools to teach about the Jewish Holocaust and other campaigns of genocide will receive a public hearing tomorrow (Jan. 17) before the Senate Early Learning and K-12 Education Committee. The committee meeting will begin at 10:30 a.m.

Senate Bill 5851, which has strong bipartisan sponsorship, also would designate April as “International Genocide Prevention and Awareness Month” to provide the opportunity for formal recognition of the horrors and lasting effects of the Jewish Holocaust of World War II and other genocidal campaigns and crimes against humanity.

April was chosen because it is when members of the Jewish faith observe Passover, the eight-day celebration of the Israelites’ journey from slavery in Egypt to freedom.

The bill would also strongly encourage public schools to make at least one stand-alone elective course about the Holocaust and genocide available to students while they are in grades 6 – 12.

“I’m pleased and encouraged that the committee will take up this important legislation. I sponsored this bill because of the rise in anti-Semitism we’ve seen around the world after Hamas terrorists attacked Israel on Oct. 7 last year and committed the worst acts of violence against the Jews since World War II,” said Braun.

“Protests aimed at Israel, including the one here at the Capitol this past weekend, show a lack of understanding about Jewish struggles throughout history. Apparently, 63% of millennials and Generation Z do not know that 6 million Jews were murdered during the Holocaust. More than half can’t name even one of the German concentration camps. More than 10% of them don’t believe the Holocaust happened and nearly as many believe Jews caused the Holocaust. If those numbers are consistent, or are even worse, worldwide, then we’re talking about a global travesty. My bill is a step toward rectifying that here in Washington.”

Anyone wishing to testify on behalf of SB 5851 may do so in person, via Zoom, or by submitting written testimony. Find out how.

Call to conserve power proves need for better energy policies

OLYMPIA…Millions of power customers in Washington received a notice over the weekend to lower their thermostats and limit their use of hot water to alleviate pressure on the power grid while Washington experienced winter weather. Senate Republican Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, released the following statement in response.

“This weekend’s energy alerts should serve as a reminder that public policy matters when it comes to our state’s energy system. Unfortunately, for too long, legislative Democrats and the governor have been carrying out an energy agenda that threatens to push the Northwest’s power grid to a breaking point. Instead, we should be looking to create a more resilient grid with a diverse set of energy resources.

“If the grid can’t handle current demand during a brief cold snap, it won’t be able to handle the increased demand that will come from millions of additional electric vehicles on the road. Combine that with proposals to ban natural gas and breach the Snake River dams and you have a catastrophe in the making. If the grid fails, millions of people would be put at risk – left without a dependable way to heat their homes. People living in houses with wells could lose access to water. Those with plug-in electric vehicles may be stranded.   

“The better approach is to responsibly build and strengthen our power infrastructure. Senate Republicans have proposed a plan called ‘Power Washington,’ which is made up of pragmatic and equitable solutions that would make a real difference. This is a complicated issue and simply banning fossil fuels and taxing an overworked grid is not the way to keep people safe and warm. It may sound good in theory to some, but it’s not a real-world solution.”

 

“Power Washington” is built on seven major goals:

  • Help people access different kinds of alternative vehicles, such as hybrids and hydrogen
  • Preserve, improve, and expand Washington’s clean hydropower system
  • Enable the capture of carbon and invest in our working forests and natural resources to maximize carbon absorption
  • Significantly reduce high fuel prices for drivers
  • Ensure that the transition to new energy technology is environmentally responsible
  • Shore up our electric grid to keep providing affordable and reliable power
  • Keep energy costs low so people can be secure in their homes and businesses