Revenue forecast makes $30 car tabs even more viable, says Braun
February 19, 2020
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... Read More...
Braun hopes for action on bill to help with impacts of homelessness
January 28, 2020
Legislation offers grants to assist businesses with security, sanitation needs With time starting to run short for Senate policy committees to move bills forward in the 2020 session, Sen. John Braun is hoping to see action soon on his proposal to address sanitation and security needs in commercial districts with... Read More...
Don’t replace botched tax hike, says budget leader, just abandon it
January 21, 2020
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.... Read More...
Braun proposes long-term answer to transportation funding
November 25, 2019
Proposal would slowly shift tax on vehicle purchases away from operating budget OLYMPIA… Sen. John Braun is proposing to add a major new funding source for transportation needs across Washington without imposing a new tax. The Senate Republican budget leader plans to file legislation that would begin shifting the state... Read More...
Braun heads bipartisan call for veto of new $133 million tax
May 14, 2019
Governor will block hastily approved tax ‘if he’s consistent’, says budget leader OLYMPIA… A bipartisan group of high-ranking state legislators today asked Gov. Jay Inslee to veto a new $133 million tax that came out of nowhere to zoom through the Legislature just before its annual session ended April 28.... Read More...
Another night, another onslaught of new Democrat taxes
April 28, 2019
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
April 26, 2019
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...