OLYMPIA…Sen. John Braun is inviting 20th Legislative District residents to a town hall in Chehalis from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Saturday, March 30. The meeting will be at the Veterans Memorial Museum, at 100 S.W. Veterans Way.

Braun, R-Centralia, said he chose the date because Democrats who have majorities in the state Senate and House of Representatives are expected to announce their respective budget proposals by then.

“This year the state treasury is in such good financial shape that there is absolutely no reason for the Legislature to be looking at tax increases to balance the next state budget,” said Braun, who is the budget leader for the Senate Republican Caucus. “But despite having more than enough revenue on hand, the Democrats have already put an income tax, energy taxes, property taxes and other taxes and fees on the table. Some of those could very well be in the final budget package, but I and other Republicans are working to prevent that.”

The latest edition of Braun’s Economic Sense policy paper lays out why he believes the next state budget, which will pay for day-to-day agency operations in 2019-21, does not require new or higher taxes.