May 21, 2015 |
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Tag Archives: Sen. Braun
Teacher strikes, education funding, and legislator pay. These three issues have grabbed headlines recently as the Washington Citizens’ Commission on Salaries for Elected Officials considered increasing legislator pay by 11 percent while legislators are focused on completing budget negotiations. The independent commission voted Wednesday to enact that pay increase despite protests from Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia.
“When the commission began discussing legislator pay raises at the beginning of 2015, I was adamant this is not the time to have that discussion,” said Braun. “I continue to believe that. We need to focus on the real priority of funding education and finishing the new state operating budget.”
Braun, a lead budget negotiator for the Senate majority, has been working to build a sustainable budget that prioritizes state spending on education while remaining within available revenue – which is projected to be $3 billion more for 2015-17 compared to the two-year budget cycle that ends June 30.
“I sent a letter to the commission outlining my opposition to the proposed pay raise. I disagree with its decision to adopt an 11 percent increase and I won’t be accepting any pay raise until we finish work on the state’s budget and put education first,” he said.
The governor called a special legislative session April 29 to finish work on the state’s $38 billion operating budget, a task that Braun says “should have been completed in the 105-day regular session, as we passed a complete, no-new-taxes budget.” The special session is scheduled to end no later than May 28.
Click here to read Braun’s letter to the commission, dated May 6.
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 23, 2015 |
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April 20, 2015 |
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April 20, 2015 |
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April 15, 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.