John Braun

OLYMPIA…More than 43,000 people have signed in to oppose Senate Bill 5978, a proposal that would drastically raise property taxes — more than four times the opposition received for any previous bill to receive a public hearing in the Senate. SB 5978 is scheduled for a hearing today at 4...

  OLYMPIA…In a 28-21 vote, the Washington State Senate Democrats today passed their $78.5 billion operating budget proposal, the funding for which relies on the largest tax increase in state history and a raiding of the “rainy-day fund.” Senate Democrats also rejected a striking amendment proposed by Sen. Chris Gildon,...

Largest tax increase in Washington state history Dear Friends and Neighbors, As Washington faces the largest tax increase in state history, I wanted to explain the worst ones to you here. Senate Bill 5798 would remove the 1% cap on the annual rate at which state and local governments can...

OLYMPIA – A Democrat-sponsored bill that could dramatically increase Washington’s property taxes will receive a public hearing in the Senate Ways & Means Committee at 4 p.m. Monday, March 31. The public is encouraged to sign in CON, testify against the bill, and/or submit written testimony opposing it. Senate Bill...

OLYMPIA… Senate Republican Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, released the following statement in response to the $78.5 billion operating budget proposal announced today by Senate Democrats: “The Senate Democrats’ budget does exactly what we expected — it raises taxes and overspends. Their plan adds $12.1 billion in new policy spending despite...

Dear Friends and Neighbors, Parents’ rights are still under attack in Olympia. Both the House and Senate versions of a bill to undo much of the Parents’ Rights Act – created less than a year ago through the bipartisan passage of Initiative 2081 – continue to advance through the legislative...

Former secretary of state left his mark on Washington, advocated for disability rights, better social services, refugee housing, trail development, state parks and killer whales – just to name a few OLYMPIA – Former Secretary of State Ralph Munro left an enduring stamp on the state of Washington over a...

OLYMPIA…Senate Republican Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, says Washington teachers don’t deserve to have incentive bonuses cut in half by Democrats. Educators in Washington currently qualify for a bonus for achieving certification by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. They can receive an additional bonus for teaching in a school...

OLYMPIA…Republican legislators Sen. John Braun, Rep. Peter Abbarno, and Rep. Ed Orcutt, who represent the 20th Legislative District, will host a virtual town hall on Tuesday, March 25, at 6:30 p.m. via Zoom to connect with constituents and provide updates on the 2025 legislative session. During the live online event,...