Braun not surprised by governor’s support for record state budget, huge tax increases OLYMPIA… Sen. John Braun remembers the big-taxes, big-spending budget Gov. Jay Inslee proposed to lawmakers before their 2019 session, so it was no shock today when Inslee endorsed an avalanche of unnecessary new taxes and a record state operating budget to spend them. “The governor wanted a business-tax increase and... Read More...

Another night, another onslaught of new Democrat taxes OLYMPIA… The state Senate moved into the final day of the 2019 legislative session with majority Democrats extending their streak of overnight tax votes, the worst of which would slap a 20-percent rate increase on some 40 industries and categories of professional-service providers. That bill was passed at approximately 5... Read More...

Braun astonished by new taxes, spending in proposed budget OLYMPIA… Sen. John Braun says Washington taxpayers are in for it if the new taxes and spending in the next state operating budget are even close to what’s in the tentative budget he saw today. “It’s astonishing. We came into this session with the best budget situation of the century,... Read More...

Democrats vote to pave way for property-tax hikes OLYMPIA…Sen. John Braun says big local school-tax hikes will be inevitable if the Democrat-controlled Legislature lifts the limit of $1.50 per $1,000 assessed valuation on school district “enrichment” levies – and the first step was taken Friday night. Braun, R-Centralia and an architect of the landmark education-funding updates enacted in... Read More...

Senate unites to keep Braun special-education bill alive OLYMPIA…The state Senate today doubled down on its support for the special-education policy improvements in Sen. John Braun’s Senate Bill 5532, with a vote that would have the effect of keeping the bill alive through the end of the Legislature’s regular session Sunday. “The Democrat leadership in the House has... Read More...

Braun says tax hike targets blue-collar jobs, rural areas OLYMPIA…Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia and budget leader for the Senate Republican Caucus, offered the following comments about his vote to oppose Senate Bill 5993, which would make controversial changes to the state’s Model Toxics Control Act, including a tax increase of nearly 60 percent on certain petroleum products. “The fund... Read More...

Braun dismayed by Democrat support for property-tax hikes OLYMPIA…Less than two years after legislators brought Washington’s school-funding approach into the 21st century by rebalancing state and local school-levy rates, Democrat members of the Senate Ways and Means Committee are supporting a return to higher local school taxes. Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia and an architect of the landmark education-funding... Read More...

Braun sees proposed Senate budget as ‘good start’ but remains concerned about spending level, new taxes OLYMPIA…Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia and budget leader for the Senate Republican Caucus, said this about the 2019-21 state operating budget proposed today by the Senate majority: “The Legislature is well-positioned this year to pass a budget that would support major new investments in bipartisan priorities, like special education and mental-health... Read More...