April 27, 2017

News and notes

Earlier this month I had the opportunity to sit down to talk about the budget with The Daily News. State budget update – The Daily News, April 19  I also had a chance to speak with the Centralia Chronicle on a variety of items including funding for local flood protection...
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April 12, 2017

Economic Sense: Education Equality Act

Repairing an Unconstitutional K-12 Funding System Education Equality Act: Ample, Equitable & Student-Centered “It is the paramount duty of the state to make ample provision for the education of all children residing within its borders.” – Art. IX, Sec. 1 of the Washington State Constitution. Bottom Line Up Front Unconstitutional...
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March 27, 2017

Braun says House budget asks taxpayers to pay more for same results

Sen. John Braun says the 2017-19 operating budget proposal released today by House Democrats asks for $8 billion more from state taxpayers without promising much in the way of improved outcomes. “Demanding that working families and job creators send $8 billion more to Olympia, without expecting much in the way...
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March 21, 2017

Senate budget puts priority on education – protects vulnerable, taxpayers

The Senate Majority Coalition Caucus released a two-year operating budget proposal Tuesday that puts its emphasis on education and services for the state’s most vulnerable, while avoiding general tax increases. The Senate proposal boosts K-12 education funding by $3.7 billion, raising its share of the state budget to more than...
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March 14, 2017

Education funding discussion on TVW

I recently had the opportunity to appear on TVW’s “Inside Olympia” program to discuss the Education Equality Act alongside a member of the House of Representatives and host Austin Jenkins. TVW is Washington’s version of C-SPAN, and the 30-minute segment provided us with a chance to discuss the important details...
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March 14, 2017

Protecting the right to hunt and fish

Hunting is a major part of our state’s heritage and a generations-old activity for many families in the Pacific Northwest. However, sportsmen constantly see more government regulations affecting where and how they can hunt or fish. As demand for public lands increases, they want to know their rights are respected...
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March 13, 2017

Telephone town-hall meeting March 28

You’re invited to participate in a 20th District telephone town-hall meeting at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, March 28th, when we’ll answer your questions about issues currently before the Legislature. The forum will allow participants to listen and ask questions from anywhere with a phone, enabling more people to engage without...
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March 13, 2017

Budget Update

While work on a new state budget has been underway for months, one of the next steps in crafting a spending plan takes place this week when budget writers will receive an updated revenue forecast from the state’s chief economist. On Thursday, we’ll find out the amount of tax dollars anticipated...
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March 08, 2017

Senate approves temporary extension of local school levy rate with increased accountability

The Washington State Senate today approved legislation extending a temporary increase in the maximum amount school districts can raise through property taxes for public schools and implementing reforms to provide accountability for how local levies are collected and accounted. “Washington students deserve a comprehensive solution that provides a world-class education...
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