Tag Archives: senate

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:

Pave the way for an income tax on everyone
Increase the cost of food
Burden Washington’s agricultural industry with extra costs, threatening the survival of farms statewide
Raise the cost of health care premiums
Increase the price of energy
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:

Braun lauds approval of bipartisan budget

Tuesday evening the Legislature approved a supplemental budget, concluding the legislative session. Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia, voted in favor of the bipartisan proposal that makes minor adjustments to the state’s two-year operating budget approved last year.

“This is a good supplemental,” lead budget negotiator Braun said. “It meets the requirements of Washington’s 4-year balanced budget law, preserves the rainy day fund, and refuses to go back to the irresponsible budgets of years past.”

This is in contrast to the original proposal from House Democrats that drained the state’s rainy day fund, cut nearly $500 million from K-3 class-size reductions and proposed news taxes to pay for new state programs.

“The final budget continues our investments in class-size reduction, fully funds historic tuition cuts, and improves treatment for our state’s most vulnerable including the disabled and mentally ill,” Braun said. “We said no to higher taxes and insisted on a sustainable budget with no gimmicks.”

The budget passed in the House of Representatives 78-17 and 27-17 in the Senate.

Budget documents are available online, here.

My letter to the Washington Citizens’ Commission on Salaries for Elected Officials

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

Senate tuition-cut proposal good for families and GET program

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.

MEDIA ADVISORY: Sens. Bailey and Braun announce major revamp to college tuition

OLYMPIA… Students will join chair of the Senate Higher Education Committee, Sen. Barbara Bailey and Deputy Majority Leader, Sen. John Braun to unveil a new plan for higher education affordability in a news conference Thursday, Feb. 12.

Date: Thursday, Feb. 12 at 12:45 p.m.

Locations: Senate Hearing Room 2, John A. Cherberg Bldg.

Pension reform must start at the top with elected officials

State Senator John Braun – “If 401(k) plans are good enough for Boeing machinists, they should be good enough for those who hold elected office.”

Via KPLU radio — “Republican John Braun on Wednesday said he will introduce legislation to end pensions for all elected officials in Washington. Click here for interview.

Braun is a freshman state senator and business owner who already doesn’t participate in the state pension system. He says he understands why some machinists were incensed recently when elected officials with pensions urged them to make concessions on theirs.

“For folks to say you need to take this deal and not be willing to is somewhat hypocritical,” Braun said.

Sen. Braun’s first speech, in which he supports families of fallen soldiers

Sen. John Braun testifying before the Senate floor in support of Senate Bill 5161, which would authorize families of United States armed forces members who died while in service to apply for gold star license plates.

This is also Sen. Braun’s first official floor speech in support of a bill. The speech took place February 15, 2013. Continue reading →