Late last year I conduced a survey of our legislative district to receive input on issues that the Legislature would possibly be considering this session. Please take a look at how our neighbors responded to the survey.
Tag Archives: John Braun
Sen. John Braun, and Rep. Ed Orcutt, invite residents of the 20th District to join them for a live telephone town hall Thursday, January 14. The live, hour-long event begins at 6:00 p.m.
The community conversation is much like an interactive radio program, during which listeners may ask questions or just listen to the conversation about issues that affect their district and state.
“This is a great opportunity to connect with constituents during the legislative session and gain valuable insights into issues that matter most to them,” said Braun, R-Centralia.
Participants will have the opportunity to simply listen in to the conversation, or speak directly with their elected officials. Legislators will also ask residents to take part in instant-result poll questions with their phones.
“I look forward to engaging with the citizens of our district,” said Orcutt, R-Kalama. “This is a great opportunity for us to hear your ideas to improve how state government works for you.”
No RSVP is required to join the event, and members of the media are also encouraged to listen in to the call.
To join the call, residents can dial toll-free (360) 302-3005 on the night of the event and follow the prompts to join the conversation.
For more information about Rep. Orcutt, visit: www.representativeedorcutt.com. For more information about Sen. Braun, visit: www.senatorjohnbraun.com.
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Greetings Friends and Neighbors,In order to ensure fair and proper elections, Washington State has stringent rules on the use of public resources during election years. Senators who are up for re-election in 2016, including me, must follow specific rules and laws concerning our written communications with you. As of December, I am not allowed to send out e-newsletter updates until the beginning of the 2016 legislative session – and then I may only send these updates to those who have actively subscribed. If you wish to continue receiving my e-news updates from Olympia, please click on the link below to subscribe. Click here to subscribe!
 Contact Me:Email:John.Braun@leg.wa.gov Olympia Office: 407 Legislative Building PO Box 40420 Olympia, WA 98504-0420 Phone:(360) 786-7638 Website: johnbraun.src.wastateleg.org Share my E-newsletterDo you know others who live in our district who may not be receiving my e-news updates? Please feel free to forward this e-mail to them or click on the share button below.
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Washington’s Paramount DutyA look at education funding in our state |
Greetings,For the past 30 years, starting in the early 1980s, growth in general government spending outpaced the state’s investments in public education. Billions of dollars were diverted from the state’s paramount duty toward other state programs. As the state’s portion of education funding declined, that burden shifted to school-district taxpayers and their ability to raise funds through local levies. These two issues have culminated in the McCleary decision where the state Supreme court found the state was not meeting is constitutional duty to adequately provide for K-12 education. In just a few short years, our Senate majority has been able to change that and make education the first priority in the state’s budget. Since 2013, education spending has increased by $4.5 billion and 47 percent of spending in the most recent budget is going to our K-12 system. However, funding is only part of the challenge. We also need common sense reforms to give teachers the freedom to do their jobs well and help schools and students succeed. Looking ahead at the upcoming legislative session, we have more work to do to make the right investments for our students and provide a more equitable solution for school funding by the 2018 deadline. As we continue to prioritize schools in our state there will be many issues to address, but funding is a major piece of the puzzle. State Sen. Andy Hill, our lead budget writer, recently put out a series of policy papers that goes in depth on education funding and reform. Please see below for links to the three-part series.
The Paramount Duty SeriesPart I: 30 Years of Shirking the Paramount Duty & Understanding the Ruling that Followed
“It is the paramount duty of the state to make ample provision for the education of all children residing within its borders[.]” – Article. 9, Sec. 1 of the Washington State Constitution Despite being ascribed preeminent importance in Washington’s Constitution, education was a decidedly declining state budget priority over the last generation as non-education spending dominated budget growth from 1983 to 2013… Click Here to Read More Part 2: Turning the tide–state spending radically reprioritized under Majority Coalition Caucus
The Majority Coalition Caucus (MCC) took the reins of the Senate in 2013, determined to turn the tide of the previous 30 years and reprioritize education. The results are as follows… Click Here to Read More. Part 3: What’s left? Bringing fairness to K-12 funding via levy reform,debunking the myth that new taxes are needed,and the vital importance of education policy reforms
The quality of a child’s education should not depend on their ZIP Code.That is a fundamental principle that unites all of us in the Legislature, and while we cannot ultimately control the quality of a child’s education, we in the Legislature must ensure the funding system in place is equitable, regardless of where a child lives in our state.Sadly, that is not the case at present–and it must be remedied… Click Here to Read More. Contact Me:Email:John.Braun@leg.wa.gov Olympia Office: 407 Legislative Building PO Box 40420 Olympia, WA 98504-0420 Phone:(360) 786-7638 Website: johnbraun.src.wastateleg.org Share my E-newsletterDo you know others who live in our district who may not be receiving my e-news updates? Please feel free to forward this e-mail to them or click on the share button below.
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May 21, 2015 |
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May 6, 2015
To the Washington Citizens’ Commission on Salaries for Elected Officials:
As you may be aware, this has been a tough budget year. Both parties in the House and Senate are working to create a balanced budget that prioritizes our state’s spending.
Part of that prioritization is investing in our state employees. Although the two houses have some philosophical differences to what extent state employee pay will increase, we must be mindful of the importance our commitment to state employees plays in our budget negotiations.
Our main priority is funding education. We’ve worked vigorously to reverse trends that have put general government growth ahead of the state’s paramount duty for 30 years. This means that the budget does not allow for large pay increases for public employees, and that should include state legislators.
Now is not the time for the Commission to increase our pay by 11 percent. Collective bargaining agreements negotiated by the Governor and the proposal in the Senate provide more realistic guidelines for providing pay increases. If the Commission wants to consider increasing legislator pay, it should be more reflective of what other state employees would receive.
A recent report by the National Conference of State Legislatures notes that in the past 12 months only nine states have increased legislator salaries. Additionally, raises in other states were more reflective of cost of living increases. For example, Oregon, whose legislator pay is tied to the consumer price index, increased legislator pay by only $336.
In light of our current budget situation and national trends around this issue, I urge the Commission’s reconsideration of their proposed increase in legislator pay. I understand that we want to attract good candidates to public office and pay is a component of that; however, this is not the time to give legislators an 11 percent raise.
Best regards,
Senator John Braun
20th Legislative District
College affordability one step closer for Washington Families
Senators Mark Schoesler, John Braun, and Barbara Bailey meet with students, April 8, 2015.
The Senate Majority’s College Affordability Program, Senate Bill 5954 passed with bipartisan support but surprising opposition from half of Senate Democrats. The bill, sponsored by Deputy Majority Leader Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia, and chair of the Senate Higher Education Committee, Sen. Barbara Bailey, R-Oak Harbor would reduce tuition by as much as 30 percent at state-run research institutions and cap tuition to a percentage of the state’s average income.
“I have been making this case since we introduced this bill, college access and affordability should be a priority for our state again,” Braun said. “We’ve had years of underinvestment in higher education and the results are bad for our economy. Our state faces significant challenges, but this is a long-term policy solution that middle-class families in our state deserve.”
Higher Education and the rising cost of tuition have been a focal points since the inception of the Senate Majority Coalition. The Coalition lead the charge on freezing college tuition for two consecutive years, something that had not been done in nearly three decades. Opposition democrats would not support reducing tuition without a dedicated funding source similar to the attempted $170 million tax hike they proposed during the committee process. The Majority Coalition made it clear that higher education should be a budget priority and that this policy can be implemented without new taxes.
“Making higher education affordable for all our state’s students is a win for everyone,” Bailey said. “I’ve been working to ensure that our students have access to an affordable and quality post-secondary education. The tuition freeze was great but we need a real paradigm shift in what college affordability means for students. By passing this bill we are sending a message that students are a top priority by making college affordable in our state.”
April 20, 2015 |
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After Sen. John Braun introduced legislation to cut tuition at state colleges and universities some questions arose regarding the bill’s effects on Washington State’s Guaranteed Education Tuition program. Opponents of the proposal have erroneously stated the measure would reduce the value of credits already purchased through the state GET program.
“I understand the concerns that have been raised but a close read of the bill puts those concerns to rest,” said Braun, R-Centralia. “The language is very clear that this legislation holds the value of GET for those who have already invested. The concept is similar to a stock split so that the reduction in tuition doesn’t adversely affect current GET holders. Our proposal holds these people harmless and is a long-term policy solution that ends the days of skyrocketing tuition.”
As a result of the tuition freeze instigated by the Senate Majority Coalition Caucus during the 2013-15 school years, the GET program went from an unfunded liability in the hundreds of millions of dollars to maintaining a significant surplus of over $160 million. Under the most recent Senate proposal to cut tuition by an average of 25 percent, the GET program will go from currently 106 percent funded to over 130 percent funded – a significant turnaround from a few short years ago, when there was talk in Olympia of doing away with the program.
“The bottom line is that this proposal is good for families that have purchased GET credits and the program as a whole,” said Braun. “Students and families will get more value under our proposal and it will mean more affordability for all students trying to pay for college.”
GET is a state-run 529 prepaid college-tuition plan which ‘is guaranteed to keep pace with tuition and state-mandated fees at Washington’s highest priced public university,’ according to the program’s website.