Washington’s Paramount DutyA look at education funding in our state |
Greetings,For the past 30 years, starting in the early 1980s, growth in general government spending outpaced the state’s investments in public education. Billions of dollars were diverted from the state’s paramount duty toward other state programs. As the state’s portion of education funding declined, that burden shifted to school-district taxpayers and their ability to raise funds through local levies. These two issues have culminated in the McCleary decision where the state Supreme court found the state was not meeting is constitutional duty to adequately provide for K-12 education. In just a few short years, our Senate majority has been able to change that and make education the first priority in the state’s budget. Since 2013, education spending has increased by $4.5 billion and 47 percent of spending in the most recent budget is going to our K-12 system. However, funding is only part of the challenge. We also need common sense reforms to give teachers the freedom to do their jobs well and help schools and students succeed. Looking ahead at the upcoming legislative session, we have more work to do to make the right investments for our students and provide a more equitable solution for school funding by the 2018 deadline. As we continue to prioritize schools in our state there will be many issues to address, but funding is a major piece of the puzzle. State Sen. Andy Hill, our lead budget writer, recently put out a series of policy papers that goes in depth on education funding and reform. Please see below for links to the three-part series. 
The Paramount Duty SeriesPart I: 30 Years of Shirking the Paramount Duty & Understanding the Ruling that Followed
“It is the paramount duty of the state to make ample provision for the education of all children residing within its borders[.]” – Article. 9, Sec. 1 of the Washington State Constitution Despite being ascribed preeminent importance in Washington’s Constitution, education was a decidedly declining state budget priority over the last generation as non-education spending dominated budget growth from 1983 to 2013… Click Here to Read More Part 2: Turning the tide–state spending radically reprioritized under Majority Coalition Caucus
The Majority Coalition Caucus (MCC) took the reins of the Senate in 2013, determined to turn the tide of the previous 30 years and reprioritize education. The results are as follows… Click Here to Read More. Part 3: What’s left? Bringing fairness to K-12 funding via levy reform,debunking the myth that new taxes are needed,and the vital importance of education policy reforms
The quality of a child’s education should not depend on their ZIP Code.That is a fundamental principle that unites all of us in the Legislature, and while we cannot ultimately control the quality of a child’s education, we in the Legislature must ensure the funding system in place is equitable, regardless of where a child lives in our state.Sadly, that is not the case at present–and it must be remedied… Click Here to Read More. Contact Me:Email:John.Braun@leg.wa.gov Olympia Office: 407 Legislative Building PO Box 40420 Olympia, WA 98504-0420 Phone:(360) 786-7638 Website: johnbraun.src.wastateleg.org Share my E-newsletterDo you know others who live in our district who may not be receiving my e-news updates? Please feel free to forward this e-mail to them or click on the share button below.
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Author Archives: Laudan
Leaders in the state Senate and House have reached a significant bipartisan agreement on the state’s two-year operating budget. Included in the budget is the Senate’s proposal to reduce tuition at state colleges and universities, sponsored by deputy majority leader Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia. Over the next two years the legislation reduces college tuition by 15 percent at research institutions like the University of Washington, 20 percent at regional universities such as Western Washington University, and 5 percent at community and technical colleges. The budget includes significant investments in basic education, with over 47 percent of the state’s spending going to K-12 education.
“This budget is a bipartisan compromise but it is one that speaks to our values,” said Braun, a lead Senate budget negotiator. “The Senate stopped the biggest tax increases in state history. We focused our state’s spending on education at all levels: early learning, K-12 and higher education and led the nation by reducing tuition at our state universities and colleges. Our budget is balanced, sustainable and lives up to the values of our community.”
Going forward, college tuition will be tied to growth in the state’s median wage; that change and the immediate tuition cut are expected to help 200,000 college students.
“The tuition cut is the equivalent of a quarter-billion dollar tax reduction for working families and students in our state,” said Braun. “I have been fighting for this policy, fighting to make sure we have no new taxes, and fighting to ensure that our budget makes the best use of taxpayer resources. I believe that we have done that. We can go back to our communities having made significant statewide investments without raising taxes. That’s a very good thing.”
The budget, Senate Bill 6052, was approved in time to take effect July 1, avoiding a state government shutdown.
May 21, 2015 |
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Teacher strikes, education funding, and legislator pay. These three issues have grabbed headlines recently as the Washington Citizens’ Commission on Salaries for Elected Officials considered increasing legislator pay by 11 percent while legislators are focused on completing budget negotiations. The independent commission voted Wednesday to enact that pay increase despite protests from Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia.
“When the commission began discussing legislator pay raises at the beginning of 2015, I was adamant this is not the time to have that discussion,” said Braun. “I continue to believe that. We need to focus on the real priority of funding education and finishing the new state operating budget.”
Braun, a lead budget negotiator for the Senate majority, has been working to build a sustainable budget that prioritizes state spending on education while remaining within available revenue – which is projected to be $3 billion more for 2015-17 compared to the two-year budget cycle that ends June 30.
“I sent a letter to the commission outlining my opposition to the proposed pay raise. I disagree with its decision to adopt an 11 percent increase and I won’t be accepting any pay raise until we finish work on the state’s budget and put education first,” he said.
The governor called a special legislative session April 29 to finish work on the state’s $38 billion operating budget, a task that Braun says “should have been completed in the 105-day regular session, as we passed a complete, no-new-taxes budget.” The special session is scheduled to end no later than May 28.
Click here to read Braun’s letter to the commission, dated May 6.
May 6, 2015
To the Washington Citizens’ Commission on Salaries for Elected Officials:
As you may be aware, this has been a tough budget year. Both parties in the House and Senate are working to create a balanced budget that prioritizes our state’s spending.
Part of that prioritization is investing in our state employees. Although the two houses have some philosophical differences to what extent state employee pay will increase, we must be mindful of the importance our commitment to state employees plays in our budget negotiations.
Our main priority is funding education. We’ve worked vigorously to reverse trends that have put general government growth ahead of the state’s paramount duty for 30 years. This means that the budget does not allow for large pay increases for public employees, and that should include state legislators.
Now is not the time for the Commission to increase our pay by 11 percent. Collective bargaining agreements negotiated by the Governor and the proposal in the Senate provide more realistic guidelines for providing pay increases. If the Commission wants to consider increasing legislator pay, it should be more reflective of what other state employees would receive.
A recent report by the National Conference of State Legislatures notes that in the past 12 months only nine states have increased legislator salaries. Additionally, raises in other states were more reflective of cost of living increases. For example, Oregon, whose legislator pay is tied to the consumer price index, increased legislator pay by only $336.
In light of our current budget situation and national trends around this issue, I urge the Commission’s reconsideration of their proposed increase in legislator pay. I understand that we want to attract good candidates to public office and pay is a component of that; however, this is not the time to give legislators an 11 percent raise.
Best regards,
Senator John Braun
20th Legislative District
May 13, 2015 |
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College affordability one step closer for Washington Families
Senators Mark Schoesler, John Braun, and Barbara Bailey meet with students, April 8, 2015.
The Senate Majority’s College Affordability Program, Senate Bill 5954 passed with bipartisan support but surprising opposition from half of Senate Democrats. The bill, sponsored by Deputy Majority Leader Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia, and chair of the Senate Higher Education Committee, Sen. Barbara Bailey, R-Oak Harbor would reduce tuition by as much as 30 percent at state-run research institutions and cap tuition to a percentage of the state’s average income.
“I have been making this case since we introduced this bill, college access and affordability should be a priority for our state again,” Braun said. “We’ve had years of underinvestment in higher education and the results are bad for our economy. Our state faces significant challenges, but this is a long-term policy solution that middle-class families in our state deserve.”
Higher Education and the rising cost of tuition have been a focal points since the inception of the Senate Majority Coalition. The Coalition lead the charge on freezing college tuition for two consecutive years, something that had not been done in nearly three decades. Opposition democrats would not support reducing tuition without a dedicated funding source similar to the attempted $170 million tax hike they proposed during the committee process. The Majority Coalition made it clear that higher education should be a budget priority and that this policy can be implemented without new taxes.
“Making higher education affordable for all our state’s students is a win for everyone,” Bailey said. “I’ve been working to ensure that our students have access to an affordable and quality post-secondary education. The tuition freeze was great but we need a real paradigm shift in what college affordability means for students. By passing this bill we are sending a message that students are a top priority by making college affordable in our state.”
April 23, 2015 |
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April 20, 2015 |
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