Tag Archives: income tax

NEWSLETTER: Democrats turn sheriffs into political pawns

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Community means teamwork, and in a county that experiences floods from time to time, we unfortunately know just how true that is.

At the Packwood Improvement Club meeting last week, it was a time to pause and recognize the many people and organizations who stepped forward when rising waters disrupted lives and threatened homes.

Volunteers opened the community center to shelter neighbors who could not return home. Members of Search and Rescue, the sheriff’s office, and local fire departments worked tirelessly to save lives and property. Local businesses and organizations also stepped in, including the Packwood Inn, and groups such as the Salvation Army, United Way, and Red Cross quickly mobilized support for families in need. Local, County, and State agencies played their parts, as well.

What stood out most that evening was not any single act of service, but the collective spirit of the community. When those who helped were invited to come forward, many individuals stepped up more than once, reflecting the many hats they wear in service to their neighbors.

It was a powerful reminder that during difficult times, our greatest strength is the willingness of ordinary people to help one another.

I am deeply grateful to everyone who played a role—both those recognized that evening and the many others who quietly contributed behind the scenes. Lewis County often faces catastrophic flood events. I am always humbled by the selfless actions of our community members who are always ready to do what is necessary to help their neighbors recover.

On a practical note, I am pleased to report that the state transportation budget provides $45 million for city and county flood response statewide and Lewis County will receive some of that funding. The federal government will reimburse the state for 80% of that funding.

If you have any questions or comments, email me or call my office at (360) 786-7638.

Sincerely,

John Braun

 

 

 

Democrats turn sheriffs into political pawns

One of the worst bills to pass this session puts county sheriffs in the position of being political pawns for the governor.

You can demand that Gov. Ferguson veto SB 5974.

Senate Bill 5974 gives a governor-appointed board the power to decertify and remove the sheriffs we elect — without a vote of the people.

The sheriff who is elected is the sheriff who should serve.

A process already exists to remove a sheriff in between elections. This bill is not only unnecessary, it’s undemocratic and dangerous.

Sheriffs are sworn to uphold state law, but also federal law and the United States Constitution. The Supremacy Clause in the constitution means that federal law takes priority over state law.

If a sheriff followed federal law and cooperated with I.C.E. agents who are arresting and detaining undocumented immigrants, they would violate our Washington’s sanctuary state laws — and the governor’s agenda.

The sheriff could then be decertified and removed, even though they met their sworn duty.

Unfortunately, SB 5974 is not the only bill Democrats sponsored this year to undermine the will of the people, which is a disturbing trend that Republicans continue to fight.

 

 

Final numbers for the 2026 Supplemental Operating Budget

 

  • Spending in a biennium exceeds $80 billion for the first time
  • Equals an 11.4% spending increase for the 2025-27 biennium compared to 2023-25
  • Relies heavily on one-time money: Drains our unrestricted reserves by $2.3 billion, including $880 million from the rainy-day fund
  • Assumes spending in the budget will only grow at 2.2% each biennium even though Democrats have historically grown spending by 15% per biennium
  • Suspends reality by assuming that $766 million of appropriated money will NOT be spent
  • If the revenue assumptions fall through, we will end up with another deficit up to $10 billion
  • K-12 funding drops to 42.2% of the budget, lower than at the time of the 2012 McCleary ruling
  • Education takes a larger cut in policy funding than other areas
  • Tied to the unconstitutional income tax that could be overturned by the state Supreme Court
  • The largest cost increase is driven by the harm to Washington residents caused by mismanaged state agencies, such as the Department of Children, Youth and Families
  • Despite complaining about the regressivity of Washington’s tax system, this budget provides NO direct help for taxpayers

 

 

The 2026 Legislative Session in a nutshell

Watch my last weekly update for this session.

REPUBLICAN IMPACT

Killed Terrible Legislation:

SB 5312: Sex Offender Leniency

Would have shortened the length of time pedophiles caught during an online “net nanny” sting would have to remain on the sex offender registry.

SB 5926: Reducing Daycare Transparency

Would have hidden the personal information of daycare providers. Although it was sponsored before the Minnesota daycare fraud scandal broke, it would have made it easier for people to commit the same fraud here in Washington.

SB 5942: Reducing Oversight of the Department of Youth, Children and Families

Would have removed the oversight duties of the DCYF Oversight Board. This agency is responsible for the well-being and safety of the most vulnerable children and adults, and it is riddled with mismanagement that results in injuries and deaths. It’s also responsible for the state’s largest lawsuit payouts. An organization like that needs more oversight, not less.

SB 5945: Weakening the “Three Strikes” Law

Would have removed any “strikes” committed as a juvenile from the three strikes that automatically land an offender in prison for life. These are violent crimes such as murder, rape, assault with a deadly weapon. It’s irrelevant if they were committed by an offender before the age of 18. They are the first step in a violent pattern of behavior that should result in life behind bars.

SB 5973 / 5382: Initiative Killers

Would have imposed several restrictions on the process of collecting signatures for citizen initiatives, undermining direct Democracy.

 

Fought the Income Tax:

Republicans led a grassroots call to action for people to sign in against the income tax when it was heard in committee in both the House and the Senate. More than 100,000 people signed in CON, making the income tax the most unpopular bill in state history.

Senate and House Republicans offered amendments to ensure the tax would only ever apply to millionaires, which Democrats rejected. In a first for the Washington State Legislature, House Republicans also waged a 24-hour floor fight against the bill. Of the 75 amendments offered on the bill that night, 51 were Republican. Debate on the bill began the evening of March 9 and continued nonstop until the evening of March 10. As a result, what might otherwise have occurred only in the dark of night instead played out through the light of day.

 

Listened to the People:

The people of Washington sent two initiatives to the Legislature for consideration. IL26-001 would restore school notification requirements in the Parents’ Bill of Rights. IL26-638 would prohibit biological boys from competing in girls’ sports. Democrats refused to schedule either initiative for a public hearing, denying their constitutional duty to prioritize initiatives to the Legislature. Instead, Republicans in the Senate and House held two listening sessions where people were able to give comment. After March 12, both initiatives become ballot measures and the people will get a chance to vote on them in November.

 

DEMOCRAT DAMAGE

Passed an unconstitutional income tax after voters have rejected the idea 10 times. The 9.9% tax applies to everyone, with a $1 million deduction that can be eliminated as soon as next session. The tax can’t be overturned by referendum and none of it is earmarked for education or health care. In fact, despite the governor saying he supports it because it provides free lunch for all K-12 students, the bill doesn’t actually pay for that.

Passed an $80 billion operating budget that relies on $114 million in new taxes, on top of the $12.3 billion state and local tax increase last year. It only balances if $801 million in appropriated money isn’t spent spending only grows by 2.2% per biennium (even though it’s grown by more than 15% every biennium since Democrats took control of the Senate). If those things fall through, we’ll have another deficit of $10 billion.

Refused to give either initiative to the Legislature a public hearing, ignoring their constitutional duty to give them priority over all other legislative business.

Banned law enforcement officers from wearing face coverings, even though they refuse to ban protestors from doing the same. The bill aims to prevent I.C.E. agents operating in Washington from hiding their faces, even though we have no jurisdiction over federal officers.

Ignored the crisis conditions at our juvenile rehabilitation centers, allowing the dangerous overcrowding that results in riots, assaults and other violent activity to continue.

Ignored the moral and fiscal costs of child fatalities and near-fatalities from exposure to fentanyl and from poor case management at the Department of Children, Youth and Families. House Democrats again refused to hear my bill adding fentanyl to the child endangerment statute, despite strong bipartisan support in the Senate.

 

NEWSLETTER: No surprise – governor backs down from demand for $1.6 billion in tax relief

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Earlier today, Gov. Bob Ferguson announced that he supports the changes the House of Representatives has proposed to the income tax and will sign the bill if the House passes it.

Senate Bill 6346 proposes an unconstitutional income tax — the kind of income tax Washingtonians have rejected repeatedly. It levies a 9.9% income tax on everyone, with a temporary deduction for those earning less than $1 million.

All it will take to expand the tax to everyone is for majority Democrats to amend it during a future legislative session. The bill also contains a clause that prevents the people from overturning the tax through referendum.

The House’s changes add some tax relief, but they also add what we refer to as a “poison pill,” repealing all of that tax relief if the the people repeal the income tax at any point (e.g. – through initiative).

This development is deeply disappointing. The governor previously demanded that $1.6 billion of the income tax revenue be returned to taxpayers. As amended, the bill provides less than half of that amount. 

It’s discouraging that the governor has once again backed down from his claim to protect taxpayers. By ignoring that the bill is unconstitutional and prevents voters from overturning it through referendum, the governor and the majority are disrespecting the people. By not acknowledging how the income tax will affect our economy, Democrats look indifferent to reality.

When elected leaders start looking for ways around the will of the people, that’s a serious problem. It’s no surprise that people do not trust government.

Tell the governor that his decision is wrong for Washington and demand that he veto SB 6346.

 

Call upon the governor to VETO the income tax. 

 

If you have any questions or comments, email me or call my office at (360) 786-7638.

Sincerely,

John Braun

 

 

 

 

Cuts to the “Running Start” college program

 

Watch my weekly video update

 

A bill passed in the Senate this week (Senate Bill 6260)  would cut $14 million from the program that allows high school students to earn an two-year college degree at the same time they earn their high school diploma.

It’s called “Running Start,” and in 2024, the Legislature passed a Republican bill that expanded the popular program so that 10th graders could participate.

Students in the program get free community college tuition, but must pay for fees, books and supplies.

Those who complete the program get a leg up toward earning a four-year degree, allowing them to finish college earlier with less student debt than if they waited until after high school to begin their post-secondary education.

Chris Reykdal, the superintendent of public instruction, criticized the cuts to the dual-credit program, saying that they “starve students” of future opportunities. His office estimates the cuts will affect 7,000 kids annually.

Running Start is an important pathway to an advanced degree, making college possible for many who can’t afford four years of tuition. Because they can apply to a university as transfer students, the likelihood that these students will be accepted to a good school increases.

Unfortunately, this same bill cuts $32 million from the transition to kindergarten program.

This is a bad bill and it’s disheartening that when Democrats are forced to cut spending, they look toward education. It’s all about priorities.

 

 

 

LISTEN: My meeting with the governor

WATCH

LISTEN

In this episode of Elephant in the Dome, I share what was discussed in the meeting, where negotiations stand, and why Republicans believe the proposal could affect families, businesses, and Washington’s economy.

The conversation also covers concerns about the state operating budget, potential future deficits, and legislation aimed at protecting children from fentanyl exposure.

In this episode:

∙ What happened during the meeting with the governor

∙ The latest developments in the income tax debate

∙ Concerns about the proposed state budget

∙ How tax policy could impact businesses and economic growth

∙ Efforts to address fentanyl exposure among children

NEWSLETTER: Income tax to be heard in the House Feb. 24 — sign in CON again

Watch my weekly legislative update video.

 

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

You might be tired of hearing about the income bill, and I am tired of talking about it. But this bill is so bad that we can’t stop talking about it until we stop the bill itself.

WATCH MY WEEKLY UPDATE

Senate Democrats passed the income tax (Senate Bill 6346) when it came to the Senate floor last week. Three of them joined us in voting “no.” Now the bill is being considered in the House of Representatives and the House Fiscal Committee has scheduled it for a hearing at 8 a.m. on Feb. 24.

You have until 6 a.m. that day to sign in CON on the bill. More than 61,000 people signed in CON when it was heard in the Senate. This made it the most unpopular bill in state history. We need you to do that again.

Proponents of the tax are in denial about how many people took the time to oppose the bill, saying they were bots. The Legislature’s system has safeguards against bots. Those claims are ridiculous and insulting to you, the people.

When we debated the bill in the Senate, Republicans offered several important amendments — all of which were defeated by Democrats. These amendments would have:

  • Ensured that the tax ONLY ever applies to millionaires.
  • Removed the clause in the bill that prevents the people from overturning the income tax through referendum.
  • Nullified the income tax unless voters approve an amendment to the Washington State Constitution to legalize an income tax.
  • Exempted diapers from sales tax.

You may have heard claims that stopping the income tax jeopardizes funding for education and healthcare. The truth is that not one dime of the $3.5 billion this bill is expected to raise every year is earmarked for education or healthcare.

Some Democrats have said that more than 40% of the current operating budget is spent on education — as if that means that the same will be true for any money this tax adds to the general fund. This is misleading. No such requirement exists for new revenue. The majority will be able to spend it however they want.

Tell them NO again. Sign in CON to oppose SB 6346 before it’s hearing on Feb. 24. You can also submit written testimony or sign up to testify during the hearing.

 

 

Bad Senate bills stopped in their tracks

Although a bill that hasn’t moved can be resurrected at any point during a legislative session, it doesn’t happen often. The following is a list of six bad bills that are considered “dead,” for all intents and purposes, because they were not passed by the Senate before the cutoff we reached Feb. 17.

I hope to have more to add to this list when this session ends in March, but sometimes we need to celebrate our wins as they come.

  • SB 5312 (Sponsor: Sen. Wellman): Would have shortened the length of time a sex offender convicted during a “net nanny” online sting must remain on the sex offender registry.
  • SB 5382 and SB 5973 (Sponsor: Valdez): These bills have been referred to as the Initiative Killer and the Initiative Killer 2.0. Both bills would have made it harder and more expensive for citizens to collect signatures for and submit initiatives/referenda to directly enact or overturn state laws. They would have undermined direct democracy and made it easier for legislators to pass taxes and other bills without fear that the people would intervene.
  • SB 5926 (Sponsor: Wellman): This bill would have exempted state-subsidized daycares from certain public records requirements, making it more difficult for the public to obtain information about daycares and their owners. Although it was filed before news of daycare fraud in Minnesota became public, the bill would have undermined transparency if something similar happened in Washington.
  • SB 5942 (Sponsor: Wilson, C.): A surge in lawsuits alleging various forms of misconduct has forced Washington state government to make more and larger payouts on claims for child fatalities and near-fatalities. This has become the fastest-growing part of the state operating budget as well as a statewide tragedy. SB 5942 would have made things far worse by eliminating the oversight responsibilities of the Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) Oversight Board. Ironically, the bill also would have changed the name to the DCYF Accountability Board.
  • SB 5945 (Sponsor: Hasegawa): This would have changed the “Three Strikes Law” so that rapes, murders, robberies and assaults with a deadly weapon would not count if they were committed when the offender was a juvenile. It would have allowed the man who murdered the 80-year-old dog walker in Seattle to avoid life in prison, despite having a long history of violence, because his conviction would have only counted as strike two. Twenty-four current prisoners serving life in prison would lose a strike and could petition for resentencing.

Often, we can only shake our heads at some of the bills introduced in Olympia. As Republicans continue to fight against additional bad legislation, I’m glad to share these early victories with you.

At the end of the legislative session, I will share a longer status list of bills — good and bad.

 

My Podcast: Fentanyl, Families, and the Fight for Child Safety

LISTEN

This week on my podcast, Fostering Change Washington’s Jamie Williams and I discuss stalled child protection bills and the urgent need to update Washington’s child endangerment laws. We explore the fentanyl crisis, legislative roadblocks, and how citizens can push for accountability to protect vulnerable children from drug-exposed environments.

 

 

Lives Lost, Billions Paid: The Costly Toll of State Negligence

Mismanagement by state agencies has played a role in the deaths and near-deaths of many Washington children and put other residents at risk.

Opioid overdose is a big culprit, which is why I again sponsored SB 5071, which would have added fentanyl to the list of drugs in the Child Endangerment Act. For the fourth time, the bill has failed to move through the House, despite strong bipartisan support in the Senate.

It’s a mystery why House Democrats will not pass such a simple bill to protect children from accidental overdose.

If you need convincing about the importance of this legislation, read “Lives Lost, Billions Paid: The Costly Toll of State Negligence” on the Senate Republican website.

READ MORE

 

NEWSLETTER: Democrats pass 9.9% income tax, but wouldn’t restrict it to millionaires

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Once in a while, a legislator will refer to a bill that everyone supports as a “good little bill.” Today, however, Senate Democrats passed a big, bad bill — an unconstitutional state income tax.

Misleadingly labeled a “millionaire’s tax,” Senate Bill 6346 levies a 9.9% tax on income. To start with, it targets individuals and couples who make $1 million per year, but Democrats voted “no” to an amendment that would limit the tax to millionaires.

They left the door open for the tax to expand to include all of us. Even worse, they included a clause in it that prevents you, the people, from overturning it through referendum.

Democrats like to claim we need this tax because our tax system is too regressive, but that rings hollow because they passed the largest tax increase in state history last year and are proposing 71 other taxes this year as well.

SB 6346 gives regular people a small sales tax break on things like mouthwash and shampoo, but Democrats voted down a sales tax exemption on diapers. The biggest tax break in the bill — $250 million — goes to large tech companies.

Some claim that voting against the income tax will jeopardize healthcare and education, but not one dime of the revenue in the income tax bill is earmarked for healthcare or education.

In fact, this bill will hurt small business, farmers, and charities and non-profits that depend on large gifts.

The bottom line, however, is that this income tax is violates the Washington State Constitution.

More than 60,000 people signed in against SB 6346 when it received a rushed hearing in the Senate. That is so impressive that Democrats have tried to say bots are responsible, even though the Legislature blocks bots. We know better.

YOU still have time to stop this bill.

You can contact Democrat members of the House of Representatives, including the speaker of the House, to demand that they kill this bill and never bring it to the House floor for a vote. You can contact the governor and demand that he veto it if it makes it to his desk.

The fact that they wouldn’t accept an amendment limiting their “millionaire’s tax” to millionaires should tell you what you need to know. It’s coming for us all. Do Democrats in Olympia think Washingtonians are fools?

STOP THE INCOME TAX

If you have questions or comments, please email me at john.braun@leg.wa.gov. 

Sincerely,

John Braun

 

 

 

Bills undermining will of the people moving ahead

Earlier this session, I told you about two Democrat-sponsored bills that undermine the will of the people. Unfortunately, both bills are moving forward. Democrats passed them out of the Senate last week. Republicans voted against both.

Senate Bill 5973: This bill is the latest effort by legislative Democrats to restrict the citizen-initiative process, prevent challenges to their agenda, and reduce the people’s influence over our political system. It would make initiatives so expensive and difficult that the people might never again be able to challenge unpopular decisions by the majority.

SB 5973 would:

  • Prohibit organizers from paying signature gatherers “per signature”
  • Require campaigns to turn in 1,000 signatures when an initiative is filed, before the full signature drive can begin
  • Allow third parties to sue initiative campaigns, tying them up in court and reducing their chances of success

Senate Bill 5974: The sheriff elected by the people should answer to the people — not to a board of gubernatorial appointees. Yet that is exactly what would happen under SB 5974, which would give an unelected board the power to decertify a duly elected county sheriff.

Sheriffs swear an oath to uphold the United States Constitution, the Washington State Constitution, and the laws of this state. When a gubernatorial order or state law conflicts with the U.S. Constitution, it places law enforcement in an impossible position:

Do they follow state law and risk violating federal law and the Constitution? Or do they honor the Constitution and risk removal for defying state directives?

The Supremacy Clause makes clear that the U.S. Constitution and federal law prevail. A sheriff’s sworn duty is to uphold them — even when doing so is politically inconvenient. No appointed board should have the authority to override the will of voters for fulfilling that constitutional obligation.

WHAT NOW?

As the bills head to the House of Representatives for consideration, you have the opportunity to oppose them by contacting House Democrats on the State Government & Tribal Relations Committee and telling them to kill the bills.

 

 

 

Watch my latest video update from Olympia

Senate Democrats pass pile of bills undermining affordability out of committee

OLYMPIA…Seemingly oblivious to concerns about affordability, Democrats passed a multitude of bills out of the Senate Ways & Means Committee Monday that will increase the cost of living for Washingtonians.

Out of 69 bills on the meeting agenda, all but one of those that undermine affordability passed out of committee and await being brought to the Senate floor for a vote. The only one that didn’t pass would have banned single-use and reusable film plastic bags.

The bills that passed out of Ways & Means include policies that will:

  1. Pave the way for an income tax on everyone
  2. Increase the cost of food
  3. Burden Washington’s agricultural industry with extra costs, threatening the survival of farms statewide
  4. Raise the cost of health care premiums
  5. Increase the price of energy
  6. Further increase the workers’ compensation costs for businesses, which are already some of the highest in the country

“Watching Democrats pass one tax bill after another out of committee last night was surreal,” said Senate Republican Leader John Braun. “They just don’t seem to grasp that you can’t make Washington more affordable by making it more expensive. They wouldn’t even give families with infants a break, refusing to pass Senator Nikki Torres’ bill to exempt diapers from sales tax.”

Last year, Democrats passed the largest tax increase in state history and drastically increased spending, leaving the state in another multi-billion-dollar deficit. This year, instead of cutting spending to balance the budget, Democrats proposed 72 new and higher taxes, including an unconstitutional income tax (Senate Bill 6346).

“Democrats might see their tax bills as a dime here or a nickel there, but they all add up, creating a ripple effect across our economy. Add on costly regulations that threaten our supply of food and affordable housing, and you realize Democrats aren’t fighting for the most vulnerable people in Washington. They’re making things worse.”

The bills that pass a floor vote in the Senate will go to the House of Representatives for consideration, where the public will get another opportunity to oppose them if they receive a hearing.

 

Anti-affordability bills that passed out of the Senate Ways & Means Committee on Monday include:

 

NEWSLETTER: Standing up for freedom of the modern press

I have received many emails and calls from constituents who had seen social media posts or heard a podcast from political reporter Brandi Kruse explaining how she had been denied a press pass by the House of Representatives in Olympia.

To be clear, she was not denied a press pass by the Senate, nor is she the only reporter to be discriminated against by the House. Two others whose names may be familiar to you — Ari Hoffman and Jonathan Choe – were banned, as well. Because this situation has generated strong reactions, I want you to know my position on it.

Read the letter from the House of Representatives denying Brandi Kruse a press pass. 

A free and independent press is essential to a healthy democracy. Freedom of speech and freedom of the press are foundational principles, and they apply regardless of whether a journalist works for a large legacy outlet or operates independently. As traditional media has declined, independent journalists and new media voices have stepped in to inform the public, ask hard questions, and hold government accountable. That work should matter to everyone.

While the House of Representatives and the Senate are separate bodies with separate rules and procedures, we want to be clear about the Senate’s approach. The Washington State Senate has not denied press credentials to any journalist based on viewpoint or political perspective.

The Senate relies on journalists to self-attest to their status, and we do not impose ideological tests for access. I have also formally given my approval for credentialed members of the press to have access to the hallway (known as the “wings”) adjacent to the Republican side of the Senate chamber, consistent with Senate rules.

Reasonable people can disagree on policy and politics but restricting a reporter’s access to lawmakers based on perceptions about his or her personal views sets a concerning precedent. Transparency, open debate, and a diversity of voices strengthen public trust in government rather than weaken it.

Your feedback is important, and concerns like yours help reinforce why these principles deserve continued attention and defense.

If you have questions or comments, please email me at john.braun@leg.wa.gov. 

Sincerely,

John Braun

 

 

Bill status: Protecting kids from fentanyl

Senate Bill 5071, my bill to add fentanyl and other synthetic opioids to the child endangerment law, was passed by the Senate more than two weeks ago. Yet for the fourth year in a row, this legislation is stuck in committee in the House of Representatives, waiting for a hearing.

This time around, an amendment was added to the bill that would allow parental support and other services as consequences for a first offense instead of prison. The sentences for subsequent offenses would be up to the courts to decide.

I sincerely hope that, with this amendment, the Democrat chair of the House Committee on Community Safety finally gives this bill a hearing and moves it out of committee so the full House can vote on it.

If it becomes law, this legislation will not criminalize addiction. Substance-use disorder is a disease that traps people in a vicious downward spiral, but it doesn’t absolve them from the consequences of endangering their child by exposing them to drugs that can kill them.

With the increase in the use of fentanyl, especially given how lethal it and other synthetic opioids are, it is important to update the law by adding them to the list of drugs (such as methamphetamine) in the Child Endangerment Act.

You can contact the chair of the committee to ask him to hold a hearing on the bill – and move it forward.

 

 

 

My bills the Democrat majority will not advance

 

 

 

JUVENILE JUSTICE

Senate Bill 5278: My bill to alleviate crowding at juvenile-justice facilities such as Green Hill School in Chehalis and Echo Glen Childrens Center outside Snoqualmie passed the Senate last year but died in the House because a Democrat senator asked House Democrats to kill it — even though she voted for it. I reintroduced the bill this year and majority Democrats in the Senate ignored it completely. The continued rejection of this legislation means dangerous overcrowding will continue at these facilities.

 

EXPANDING NUCLEAR ENERGY

Senate Bill 5821:  This bill would have added advanced nuclear energy to the State Energy Strategy released in 2021. It also would have required the Department of Commerce to supplement the strategy with a “nuclear power strategic” framework. If our electrical grid is going to meet the demands of the future, especially given the increasing power needs of artificial intelligence, we have to expand access to nuclear strategy. The Senate’s energy committee held a hearing but let the bill die.

 

RESTORING FUNDING FOR CANCER RESEARCH

Senate Bill 6116: Last year, a tax bill targeting synthetic nicotine products (an example is Zyn) swept up a tax on vapor products that provided $45 million for cancer research during the two years prior. My bill would have restored the funding mechanism to the way it was before the passage of SB 5814, ensuring that funding goes to fighting cancer. This bill had a hearing in the Ways and Means committee in January but has yet to move forward.

 

ELIMINATING THE WAIT LIST FOR SERVICES FOR DEVELOPMENTALLY DISABLED INDIVIDUALS

Senate Bill 6163: This bill would require the expense of services for developmentally disabled individuals and their families to be included in future “maintenance level” budgets automatically. It would prevent a repeat of Governor Ferguson’s decision not to include these services in his maintenance budget, resulting in nearly 500 families who are eligible for services to be waitlisted due to a lack of funding. This is completely unacceptable. SB 6163 received a hearing in Ways and Means but no vote yet. Read more about my stance on this issue.

 

HOUSING GRANT FRAUD

Senate Bill 6205: Although my bill to prevent people from defrauding a publicly funded program to provide grants for homeownership received a hearing in the Senate Committee on Housing in January, the committee chair did not allow it to move out of committee before the Feb. 4 deadline for action on Senate policy bills. I fear this will allow people with insider connections to the nonprofits in charge of dispensing the program’s money to continue receiving grants that should go to others in need.

 

MAINTAINING FISH STOCK DESPITE HATCHERY CLOSURES

Senate Bill 6207: Despite the ongoing struggle to increase the population of steelhead trout in Washington waters, the Department of Fish and Wildlife is closing the Skamania Hatchery in Washougal. I believe the department needs to be held accountable for maintaining production of steelhead juveniles. This bipartisan bill would have required DFW to maintain production of certain fish stock even if it closes a hatchery, meaning the agency would need to increase production somewhere else.

 

 

Watch my weekly video update

 

Washington voters have rejected a state income tax 10 times — 11 if you include an advisory vote that also rejected the idea. But Democrats aren’t listening. They have proposed Senate Bill 6346, which is a statewide income tax that — at $4 billion per year — would dwarf all other tax increases.

Not only are Democrats rushing the bill through the Legislative process, they are only granting one hour for public comment and have included a clause in the bill that prevents voters from overturning it in referendum.

Sen. Chris Gildon, R-Puyallup, and I sent a letter to the Democrat chair of the Senate’s fiscal committee asking that the public comment time be expanded to at least two hours. She refused our request.

In addition to the income tax, other big news this week is that the listening sessions conducted by the Senate and House Republicans on the two initiatives to the Legislature were a big success. Thank you to everyone who came to Olympia to share your stories.

Watch my video update.

NEWSLETTER: A new year and still billions of dollars in the red

Watch my weekly legislative update to learn more about what’s happening
this early in the 2026 Legislative Session.

 

 

Elected sheriffs shouldn’t become partisan pawns

WATCH the testimony by the Sheriff of Spokane County against SB 5974.

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

 

When voters elect a sheriff to lead the law-enforcement officers who protect their county, an unelected board that answers to the governor should not have the power to decertify that sheriff. Allowing a non-elected entity to remove an elected official undermines the will of the people—and democracy itself. It also turns sheriffs into pawns of partisan politics and the agenda of the majority party in Olympia.

This may seem like an obvious principle. Yet Democrats in Olympia are backing Senate Bill 5974, claiming it will “strengthen and modernize” the laws governing sheriffs and other law-enforcement officers. In reality, the bill would erode local control and concentrate the power over criminal justice in Olympia—to the detriment of all 39 counties across Washington.

Sheriffs are elected under processes defined by our state Constitution. They swear an oath to uphold not only that constitution, but—above all—the U.S. Constitution. They also swear to uphold the laws of our state, subject to the constraints of the constitutions.

The Democratic majority has already passed the so-called Keep Washington Working Act, which contains unconstitutional mandates aligned with their political agenda. SB 5974 represents the next step: empowering the state to remove sheriffs who recognize that their constitutional obligations count more than those dictates.

The bill received a hearing in the Senate Law and Justice Committee on January 15. Many sheriffs testified in opposition, raising serious concerns that we share—particularly about the negative effect on rural communities.

There are broader implications as well. The Spokane County Sheriff noted that SB 5974 would make sheriffs the only elected officials in Washington who could be removed or decertified by a non-elected board. Ask yourself: Why would Democrats care about a county sheriff differently than a county auditor, or a city mayor? Many in the law-enforcement community have described the bill as a targeted political attack.

More than 13,000 people signed in to oppose the bill at the committee level—an extraordinary level of engagement, especially on just the fourth day of the legislative session. Thank you to everyone who took part.

If you oppose this legislation, now is the time to act – before the committee can vote. Contact the chair and members of the Senate Law and& Justice Committee and demand they reject Senate Bill 5974.

Elected sheriffs should remain accountable to their voters—not to an unelected board with no connection to the communities they serve.

Sincerely,

John Braun

 

My commentary in The Centralia Chronicle

An income tax on anyone in our state would
become an income tax on everyone.

Do the Democrats who run Olympia think Washingtonians are fools? It sure seems that way as we learn more about their plan to create a state income tax.

As I write this, we still don’t know the details, because no income-tax bill has been filed. But Democrat leaders clearly want to approve a state income tax this year – and now we see how they’ll try to sell it.

From Governor Ferguson on down, income-tax supporters claim it would apply only to people whose annual taxable income exceeds $1 million. That’s right in line with their divisive, make-the-wealthy-pay-more ideology. It also acts as the “bait.”

The trouble is, everyone knows a state income tax has been a Democrat dream for many decades. Common sense tells us the ultimate goal is to have every Washington resident pay it. A high-ranking member of the House Democrat majority even agrees. That’s the “switch.”

READ THE FULL COMMENTARY

 

This week on “Elephant in the Dome,” I discuss the governor’s State of the State address, income tax proposals, public safety challenges, transportation funding issues, the importance of transparency, and why debates should focus on ideas — not individuals.

WATCH

LISTEN

 

NEWSLETTER: Is Washington getting a state income tax?

Let’s cut to the chase: Is Washington getting an income tax? If Democrats and the governor get their way, the answer is yes.

Governor Bob Ferguson announced this week that he supports a state income tax, so long as it only applies to people earning more than $1 million a year. Make no mistake—this would be the first step toward a broader income tax that would eventually affect most, if not all, Washingtonians.

The governor also acknowledged that even if Democrats pass an income tax this year, the state wouldn’t see any revenue until 2029. Why the delay?

 

BACKGROUND

Washington’s Constitution prohibits a graduated income tax— one that charges different rates based on income. Any graduated income tax passed by the Legislature would almost certainly be challenged in court. In fact, Senate Democratic leadership has openly said that’s the plan.

The goal is to have the Washington State Supreme Court reclassify income so the Constitution no longer applies. We’ve seen this strategy before.

In 2023, Democrats passed an income tax on capital gains. Even though the IRS and every other state consider capital gains to be income, Washington courts rebranded it as an “excise tax” to let it stand. That ruling is now the legal foundation Democrats are relying on to justify pushing an income tax even further.

In the meantime, the state budget would not rely on the new tax revenue until—presumably—the courts approve it.

To be clear: I oppose any attempt to impose an unconstitutional income tax in Washington. Republicans in both the House and Senate will fight this because Washingtonians have been crystal clear—they do not want a state income tax. Period.

Voters have rejected income taxes more than ten times. As recently as 2024, they passed Initiative 2111, which permanently bans personal income taxes at the state and local level.

Ironically, for years Democratic governors—including Jay Inslee and Bob Ferguson—touted Washington’s lack of an income tax as a key reason businesses should locate here. A few years ago, the Department of Commerce quietly removed that selling point from its website. That should have been a warning sign.

 

 

INCOME TAX INSTEAD OF A SALES TAX?

Some people assume Washington would become like Oregon, which has an income tax but no sales tax. That is not what Democrats are proposing.

Nowhere have they promised to eliminate the sales tax. Under their plan, Washington would have both a sales tax and an income tax. In fact, the admission that the income tax would see no revenue for several years is a guarantee that the sales tax will continue, as is.

 

A SPENDING PROBLEM

Days before the governor’s announcement, he released his supplemental budget and vowed to veto sales or property tax increases. Notably absent from his list? An income tax.

Why won’t Democrats get the message? Washington doesn’t have a revenue problem—it has a spending problem. Even mainstream media is beginning to realize this.

The state operating budget is $77 billion, having ballooned dramatically over the past decade. Yet despite record spending, have we reduced homelessness? Fixed our housing shortage? Recovered from learning loss in our schools? Addressed the mental health and substance abuse crisis?

The answer is no.

Washington can’t afford to continue down the Democrats’ tax-and-spend path. Their ideology-driven budgeting has created a multibillion-dollar shortfall. The solution isn’t digging deeper into your pockets—it’s reprioritizing how your tax dollars are spent.

 

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

You can speak out against this income tax—and any others—by contacting the bill sponsors, budget committee chairs, legislative leaders, and the governor’s office. Tell them to stop pushing unconstitutional taxes and start living within our means.

When these bills receive hearings, you can sign in to oppose them and even testify—either in person or remotely.

Learn how to testify in committee.

Your voice matters.

I will keep you updated as this fight continues.

Sincerely, Senator John Braun

 

 

Washington does not have the most regressive tax structure in the nation

Democrats — and much of the press — routinely say Washington has the “most regressive” or “upside-down” tax system in the country. That claim comes almost entirely from one partisan advocacy study that’s been repeated so often it’s treated as fact.

 

WHAT THE NEUTRAL ANALYSIS FOUND

A new economics paper by professors from Princeton, the University of Minnesota, and economists at the Federal Reserve, published by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), reached a very different conclusion.

Instead of ranking Washington as worst-in-the-nation, the NBER study found that Washington’s overall tax-and-spending system is essentially middle-of-the-pack — about 23rd nationally.

That’s a dramatic difference.

 

WHY ARE THE RESULTS SO DIFFERENT?

There are two big reasons the NBER findings don’t match the oft-cited partisan study:

 

  1. The partisan study mostly just ranks income-tax rates

The study Democrats cite heavily weights whether a state has a high top income-tax rate. In fact, the NBER authors point out that the partisan ranking closely tracks which states have the highest income-tax rates, not which states are actually most “unfair” overall.

Washington doesn’t have an income tax — so that study effectively penalizes us from the start.

By contrast, the NBER research:

  • Looks at all income levels, not just the very top
  • Measures what people actually pay, across the full income range
  • Finds Washington’s effective tax rates for most working and middle-class residents are very close to the national average

In other words: when you look at the whole income ladder, Washington doesn’t stand out as extreme.

 

  1. The NBER study includes benefits — not just taxes

This is the most important difference.

The partisan study looks only at taxes paid. The NBER study looks at taxes paid and benefits received.

This means it accounts for:

  • Public assistance
  • Social services
  • State spending that directly benefits lower- and middle-income households

When you include those benefits, Washington turns out to be one of the more generous states in the country — and those benefits significantly offset any tax regressivity.

Very few states provide more in transfers and services than Washington.

 

THE BOTTOM LINE

When you look at the full picture — taxes and benefits — Washington:

  • Is not the most regressive state
  • Is not an extreme outlier
  • Lands squarely in the middle nationally

The claim that Washington has the “worst” tax system depends on ignoring half the equation.

 

ONE MORE FINDING THAT RAISES EYEBROWS

The NBER paper also found something Democrats rarely mention:

  • People at all income levels tend to move away from states with more progressive tax systems
  • This effect is strongest among high earners
  • States that rely heavily on income taxes tend to have higher overall tax burdens
  • States with sales and property taxes tend to have lower average tax rates

 

IN SHORT

Highly progressive tax systems may sound good in theory — but in practice, they often drive people (and jobs) elsewhere. A single tax alone might not motivate people to move, but every new tax may be the last straw that does.

 

 

UPDATE: The Green Hill School

 

Gov. Ferguson’s 2026 budget proposal includes nearly $12 million for Washington’s two most significant juvenile rehabilitation facilities — the Green Hill School and Echo Glen.

Both have been plagued by dangerous overcrowding resulting from a policy known as “JR to 25,” which allows those convicted of felonies before the age of 18 to remain at the facilities with youth offenders until age 25, when they are transferred to adult prisons.

For years, I’ve called for thorough investigations into violence among the residents, assaults against staff, poor security, and illegal activity among staff. Last year, my bill to allow the transfer of some of the adults before the age of 25 to the custody of the Department of Corrections passed the Senate but was killed in the House. If it had passed, it would have helped to alleviate the overcrowding soon after taking effect.

I also sponsored a bill last year that a bill that would require staff at these facilities to wear body cameras as a means to improve transparency, accountability and safety for everyone. Unfortunately, the Democrats never gave it a hearing.

The governor would spend the $12 million on higher salaries for current staff and additional security. While I support a variety of efforts to fix this ongoing problem, any money spent should be part of a larger effort to drastically and immediately improve conditions.

Legislative Democrats should stop playing games with the lives of the residents and staff at our juvenile rehabilitation centers and pass my reforms in 2026.

 

 

NOW RECRUITING: Senate Pages for the 2026 Legislative Session

 

Do you know a young person (age 14 to 16) who would like to be sponsored by my office to page for the Legislature this year?

Read more about the program:

“The Washington State Legislature has one of the finest page programs in the country. Each year, hundreds of students from across Washington have the opportunity to take part in the legislative process and watch the Legislature and other branches of state government in action.

Pages are sponsored by legislators and serve for one week during the legislative session. Pages spend their week learning about the legislative process while distributing materials throughout the capitol campus, assisting offices, delivering messages, working on the chamber floor, and carrying the flags at the opening of each day’s legislative session. Pages also spend time each day in Page School learning about all aspects of state government.”

To speak with Senate Page Program staff about accommodations​ or how the Senate can help facilitate a positive paging experience, please contact:  

Myra Hernandez
Civic Education Director
P.O. Box 40482
Olympia, WA 98504-0482
(360) 786-7498

Are you broke yet? Democrats ready to pass even more taxes in 2026

LISTEN: Jobs Tax. Income Tax. Innovation Tax. Sen. John Braun Says: Enough to Democrat Tax Hikes

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Affordability remains the number one concern for families across Washington, yet the policies championed by Democrats in Olympia continue to push our state further out of step with the rest of the country. Instead of easing pressures, their decisions are making Washington one of the least affordable places to live, work, and run a business.

Gas prices are falling nationwide, but Washington still ranks among the top three most expensive states in the country. Our restaurants face the highest operating costs in America while earning the lowest profit margins. Schools, nonprofits, and small businesses are still suffering from last year’s expansion of the sales tax.

As we approach the 2026 legislative session, people have every reason to be concerned. We are currently facing a $4 billion budget shortfall, but so far, we are hearing about proposals in the neighborhood of $11 billion in new or higher taxes.

Democratic leaders have already announced plans for a new tax on jobs—one that threatens our economy—and they have openly stated their intent to pass a state income tax this year.

When they tell you they plan to do this, believe them.

 

The reality about a state income tax

Washington’s constitution prohibits a graduated income tax. Any tax that applies only to individuals earning above a certain amount—while exempting everyone else—is unconstitutional. Despite this, Democrats appear determined to push one through anyway and send it to the state Supreme Court, hoping the court will reclassify it as an “excise tax.”

If that happens, the door opens for the very tax Washington voters have rejected 11 times at the ballot box.

Some voters mistakenly believe that adopting an income tax would mean eliminating our sales tax. That is not on the table. There is no proposal—none—to model our system after Oregon’s, which has an income tax but no sales tax.

Meanwhile, several of our largest employers have already stated publicly that they will leave Washington if an income tax is enacted. For decades, our Democratic governors touted the lack of an income tax as a key incentive for companies to locate here. Now, the majority party is prepared to give those same employers every reason to leave.

We have a fight ahead

Republicans will fight to protect you, your paycheck, and your job from any attempt to impose an income tax in Washington. But we cannot do it alone.

You can make a difference by contacting Democratic legislators and telling them to reject this tax. You can testify when the bill receives a hearing. And you can encourage your friends, neighbors, and family members to get involved as well.

I will keep you updated as this and other harmful proposals move through the Legislature. Your participation matters. Your voice matters.

Together, we can make sure our voices are heard.

Sincerely,

Senator John Braun

 

 

Can Washington afford it?

 

Before passing another law, we should ask one question: Can Washington afford it – not just in dollars, but
in safety, trust and opportunity?

Families across Washington are struggling to pay bills, find affordable housing, and feel safe in their
communities. Polls show “affordability” is the people’s top priority. Every decision in Olympia has a cost,
and it’s time we make affordability the test for every policy – financial, moral and generational.

As the minority, our job is to hold the majority accountable for the cost of their leadership and to offer
common-sense solutions Washington CAN afford.
This session we will connect every issue – from taxes to education to public safety – back to this simple,
people-centered truth:

Washington can’t afford policies that make life harder for the families we represent.

 

Myth vs fact:

MYTH: So much was cut from the budget last year that there isn’t anything left to cut.

FACT: The budget actually GREW by 8.2% last year. Democrats didn’t make cuts – they changed their funding priorities and programs such as one caring for drug-addicted babies were defunded.

MYTH: Last year’s deficit was $16 billion to $20 billion.

FACT: According to NONPARTISAN staff, the true deficit was $7.3 billion. Democrats made a policy choice to fund $4 billion in pay raises for state employees. They did NOT need to pass the largest tax increase in state history.

MYTH: We need more “revenue,” including an income tax.

FACT: The Democratic majority doesn’t have a revenue problem. It has a spending problem. Democrats need to reevaluate their priorities. Also, a graduated income tax, which taxes people at different rates based on their income, is unconstitutional in Washington and voters have rejected a state income tax 11 times. This hasn’t deterred Democrats from pushing for one and lobbying the state Supreme Court to consider it an excise tax instead.

By the numbers:

  • The fastest growing part of the budget is lawsuit settlements worth billions of taxpayer dollars paid to victims and their families for Democratic mismanagement of state agencies and their policies that result in the injury and death of the most vulnerable.
  • Washington remains dead last nationwide for the number of law enforcement officers per capita, despite the hiring of more than 300 new officers.
  • Washington is one of the three most expensive states for gas prices due to $0.52/gal in Democratic carbon taxes
  • The average household income in Washington is roughly half what is required to qualify for the median-priced home.
  • Washington’s restaurants have to charge the highest prices in the nation, but have the lowest profit margins in the nation (1.5% compared to the 4% national average).
  • Washington is rated 35th nationwide for business climate, down from 15th in 2022. The drop is due to the income tax on capital gains.
  • Washington ranks as the 7th least affordable state for infant care, with care for one infant costing 17.8% of a family’s yearly income.
  • Democratic policies will force an 18.6% electric rate hike over the next two years for many Western Washington consumers.
  • Washington could see blackouts across the state due to Democrats’ policies that will remove 1292 megawatts of electricity from the grid in 2026.

 

Keep Washington Livable

  • Reject policies that make life more expensive
  • Advance solutions that reduce costs and reward hard work and innovation
  • Protect jobs and keep job providers in Washington

Washington can’t afford higher taxes and fewer economic opportunities.

 

Keep Washington Safe

  • Prioritize victims over offenders
  • Expand and strengthen law enforcement
  • Protect kids from overdoses, abuse and exploitation

Washington can’t afford policies that put our communities in danger.

 

Keep Washington’s Promise

  • Improve public school academic attendance and performance
  • Support stronger, healthier families
  • Reinvest in foster care and childcare programs

Washington can’t afford to neglect its responsibility to our kids and to their future prosperity.

 

Local flooding and a state of emergency

The 20th Legislative District has been impacted by heavy rains this week, resulting in localized flooding and landslides. Randall is completely cut off and Highway 12 remains closed, officials do not know when roads will reopen.

The governor has declared a state of emergency, which includes the activation of 300 National Guardsmen to assist with response (pending approval from the federal government.)

Today, at noon, he held a news conference to update everyone on the status of the response. Watch the press conference.

According to the governor and emergency management officials, the situation is unpredictable. They do not know exactly what will happen when the second wave of water reaches the lower areas of the rivers. They expect rivers to crest around 10 p.m.

This is affecting areas on both sides of the mountains and up and down the entire state.

If you have been advised to evacuate, please do so. Do not drive through standing water. Stay off of the dikes – they could fail and cause serious injury. What we will see happen this evening will test the work done after the work done in 2021 on our levies. Do not assume that because you made it through previous floods okay that you won’t experience dangerous conditions now.

The next 12 hours will be critical and will place a lot of demands on our emergency services. You can help by following guidelines and staying away from evacuated areas and flood waters.

I am concerned for all who are impacted and urge everyone to continue to take necessary precautions. As always, I hear stories of our local emergency personnel, government officials, and community members who have stepped up to care for their neighbors. I am grateful to serve a community that is defined a strong sense of care.

 

My latest column: Soft-on-crime legislators have blood on their hands, local prosecutor says

On the surface, a pair of murders in our state nearly two months ago don’t have anything in common except for each occurring in mid-October and resulting in the arrest of a young man.

One occurred in north Seattle, the other in Spokane — far from our corner of the state. Yet it’s a local prosecutor, Lewis County’s Jonathan Meyer, who sees two common denominators.

Not only are the suspected murderers both former residents of Green Hill School, the county’s state-run juvenile facility, but he ties the timing of the crimes to this year’s passage of House Bill 1815.

It’s among the latest additions to a very long list of soft-on-crime laws supported by Democrats.

READ THE FULL COMMENTARY