Watch my weekly legislative update.
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
The Senate Democrats released their operating budget proposal this week. It’s not good for our state.
If you remember, last year, Democrats responded to a $7 billion deficit in the state budget by approving a $12.3 billion package of state and local tax increases. This year, we are right back into the red with an estimated shortfall of $1.5 billion for the current budget cycle and $4.3 billion over the four-year outlook.
Since revenue is still going up, what are Democrats going to do about it — cut spending? No.
In their proposal, Senate Democrats would actually increase spending by $2.3 billion — or 53% more than the $1.5 billion gap.
This would increase the size of the budget to more than $80 billion.
They would also increase taxes by another $114 million. Even worse — the whole budget only balances if $801 million that is being appropriated for various programs/expenses isn’t spent.
WATCH MY FLOOR SPEECH
There is never enough money to do everything that needs to be done. Legislators have to make hard choices based on the reality that the money being spent is YOURS, not ours.
The majority is not making hard choices. They are making bad choices. For example, they won’t reform the Paid Family and Medical Leave Act to prevent workers in the state’s executive branch from double-dipping and helping to run the program into the ground – but they will refuse to fund programs for developmentally disabled individuals who are on waitlists to get the services they need.
Since 2015-17, the state budget has grown 110%, while the median household income in Washington has only grown 54%. That unsustainable growth adds to the burden on the backs of hardworking people across the state.
Can you afford to pay higher taxes to fund government spending that is out of control?
There’s a reason Republicans want the state auditor to have broader authority to audit and investigate how the state is spending your money.
Read the budget proposal for yourself, knowing much of this is likely to carry through into the final budget that will come back for another Senate vote. If you don’t like what you see, contact Senate Democrats to tell them what you think and demand that they be more responsible with taxpayer money.
If you have any questions or comments, email me or call my office at (360) 786-7638.
Sincerely,
John Braun
Local projects in capital & transportation budgets
The Senate and House also released their capital and transportation budget proposals. Listed below are the projects in our legislative district that are included in the Senate versions.
CAPITAL BUDGET
The state capital budget funds the construction, renovation and repair of public buildings and facilities, including schools, universities, behavioral health facilities, housing projects, water systems, and other community services.
20th Legislative District projects in the Senate proposal:
- SW Washington Fairgrounds surface and drainage improvement = $30,000
- Yacolt Community Center = $270,000
- Carlisle Lake Dam Safety Project = $1.545 million
- New security doors/locks for resident sleeping rooms at Green Hill School = $1.8 million
- Public school modernization
- Green Mountain (construction) = $6 million
- Napavine (planning) = $40,000
- Family Forest Fish Passage Program = $4.2 million
- Port of Woodland = $5,000
Total: $13,898,000
TRANSPORTATION BUDGET
The transportation budget funds highway construction and preservation, ferry operations, public transportation grants, and transportation safety projects to help move people and goods efficiently and safely throughout the state.
20th Legislative District Projects in the Senate proposal:
- Improvements to I-5 corridor through Lewis County = $2.393 million
- Improvements to I-5 corridor through Southwest Washington = $25.63 million
- Regional transit grants = $4.023 million
- Public transportation rideshare program = $1.205 million
- Twin Transit e-transit station = $580,000
- North Lewis County industrial access = $14.188 million
Total: $56,450,000
Carlisle Lake dam safety project funded in capital budget
The bipartisan Senate capital budget proposal includes $1,545,000 to replace the dam structure that releases water from Carlisle Lake.
This is necessary to protect the safety of residents and property in Onalaska and downstream within the Chehalis watershed.
The project also benefits a unique career and technical education (CTE) program at Onalaska High School. This program culminates in an annual event where students release hundreds of Rainbow Trout into Carlisle Lake for recreational users.
The budget proposal passed in the Senate this week, and I’m hopeful that it will remain in the final version the Legislature will pass before the end of the legislative session.
BILL WATCH: Status of key good and bad bills
Check out some of the best and worst bills this session and where they currently stand. I hope to be able to report in a couple of weeks that more of the bad bills have been stopped.
House AGAIN refuses to protect kids from fentanyl
I don’t understand why, but the chair of the House Community Safety Committee is AGAIN refusing to allow a vote on my bill that would add fentanyl to the Child Endangerment Act (Senate Bill 5071).
The tragedy of child fatalities and near-fatalities from exposure to fentanyl in the home is costly to our humanity and our budget.
Especially now that the bill includes more provisions for treatment and parental support, it’s hard to believe that anyone would stand in the way of enacting policy to save the lives of children.
Except that the chair of the Community Safety Committee has killed the bill four times in four years, even though it had passed in the Senate with strong bipartisan support each of those four years.
The House Democrats also killed bills sponsored by House Republicans to achieve the same result — protecting children from accidental fentanyl overdoses.
House Democrats can find time to make it easier for criminals to avoid jail or get out of prison early, but not to save the lives of children.
It’s a sad commentary on their priorities.