Proposed constitutional amendment would bring stability to long-term care fund OLYMPIA…More than a year before Washington workers are required to begin paying into a long-term care fund, Washington voters will have an opportunity to direct those payroll-tax dollars into investments that could strengthen the fund while protecting taxpayers. Late Thursday...

OLYMPIA…Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia and budget leader for Washington’s Senate Republican Caucus, made this statement following today’s adoption of the first quarterly state-government revenue forecast for 2020. The forecast indicates revenues for the 2019-21 budget cycle are $606 million ahead of the November 2019 forecast, for a total estimated revenue...

Tax would balloon to $1 billion from $773 million under Senate majority proposal  The state Senate’s majority Democrats should simply repeal the badly flawed business-tax increase that took effect Jan. 1 rather than pursue a new plan that would take far more money from professional-service providers, says Sen. John Braun....

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...

OLYMPIA…The Senate today gave unanimous approval to bills from Sen. John Braun aimed at addressing concerns about the care of developmentally disabled Washingtonians and the management of health care for low-income residents. “It’s wrong that developmentally disabled people who don’t have medical needs are effectively being abandoned at hospitals –...

The Senate Majority Coalition Caucus has elected Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia, as Senate Majority Deputy Leader for the two-year legislative term that begins in 2015.  Braun was already a member of the MCC leadership team and is chair of the Senate Trade and Economic Development Committee. “We will have a...

I want to hear from you! I will be hosting a telephone town hall meeting at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb.11 and I encourage all 20th District residents to participate. I will be joined by Representatives Richard DeBolt and Ed Orcutt. The community conversation is much like an interactive radio program,...

Op-ed by Sen. John Braun It’s time to get Washington’s transportation system moving again. Here in Lewis County, we are highly dependent on a functioning highway system, without which our timber industry as well as other businesses would be unable to ship their products. Many people also commute long distances...

20th District senator asks why college students pay for state employee pay increases Sen. John Braun’s reaction to the governor’s proposed new taxes totaling $1.4 billion in the next two years, including tax increases on businesses, oil refineries, beer and bottled-water drinkers and out-of-state shoppers, is simple: “What happened to...