Leadership Blog

In the News

AUDIO: Senator John Braun Discusses Tax Hikes and Transparency on KVI Radio

Published on April 25, 2025
Senator John Braun critiques proposed tax increases in Washington, calling them economically harmful. He highlights transparency issues in the legislative process and urges bipartisan efforts for better governance. Braun also discusses Governor Ferguson’s stance on taxes and public safety funding.
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AUDIO: Rent Control Showdown: Democrats Push for Caps as Republicans Warn of Economic Risks

Published on April 24, 2025
Sen. Keith Goehner delivers a speech on the Senate floor with Sen. John Braun observing intently Rent control legislation, decried by Republicans for potentially shrinking housing supply and raising rents, continues to advance in the state legislature. Tracy Ellis explains.  
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AUDIO: Senator Nikki Torres Discusses Tax Hikes and Education on KVI Radio

Published on April 22, 2025
Senator Nikki Torres joins Ari Hoffman on KVI Radio to critique proposed school levy increases that are framed as funding for schools. She points out that wealthier districts would benefit more from these levies, while poorer districts might struggle to raise funds or gain voter approval.
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AUDIO: Senator Braun Talks Taxes, Trucks, and Tesla with Lars Larson

Published on April 21, 2025
On the Lars Larson Show, Sen. John Braun blasts Washington’s scaled-back wealth tax as a legal setup and warns electric truck rules could cripple transport. He questions taxing Tesla’s success and calls for market-based policies—not mandates—from Olympia.
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AUDIO: Democrat legislators still on track for supporting property-tax hikes

Published on April 21, 2025
The proposed property tax increase hike from State Legislative Democrats is off the table, but concerns remain over a plan to raise the school levy cap. Tracy Ellis reports.
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News from the Caucus

April 23, 2025
Senate Republican Caucus

NEWSFLASH: No word on the budget, but plenty of taxes to go around

Silence: Still no word on budget negotiations How much will the 2025-27 operating budget increase state spending and taxes?     How much will the 2025-27 operating budget increase state spending and taxes?   That’s a good question. We’re not sure yet what the full scope of the budget and its taxes will be because...
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April 21, 2025
Senate Republican Caucus

Democrat legislators still on track for supporting property-tax hikes, just by a different route

Areas outside Seattle will see an increase of nearly 20% next year and 55% over the next 6 years.   OLYMPIA…Contrary to news-media reports indicating the Legislature’s majority Democrats have abandoned their push for higher property taxes, House Bill 2049 would still allow significant property-tax increases by raising the cap on local school-district levies, which...
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April 19, 2025
Chris Gildon

Senate Democrats approve first wave of massive tax hikes; an ‘expensive day for the taxpayers,’ say Republican budget leaders

OLYMPIA… Today the Senate majority approved a sales-tax increase that will hit lower- and middle-income families harder, a tax increase that will drive capital out of Washington, and a collection of unrelated tax increases that includes a new tax on self-storage rentals. Sen. Chris Gildon of Puyallup, Senate Republican budget leader, offered this reaction to...
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April 18, 2025
Senate Republican Caucus

NEWSFLASH: Even MORE tax bills are moving forward – VOTING SATURDAY 4-19

Republicans provide a no-new-tax budget option Democrats ignore our fiscally sound approach   It’s official. The Senate Republican operating budget proposal known as $ave Washington is now an official bill and could easily be adopted by the Legislature. Senate Bill 5810 does not rely on ANY new or higher taxes. It also does not make...
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April 15, 2025
Senate Republican Caucus

ALERT: Democrats double down on new/higher taxes for just in time for Tax Day – What’s it going to cost you?

    Addition of even MORE taxes will double what you’ll pay!   In response to the record opposition to the BILLIONS in new and higher taxes Democrats plan to implement this year, they decided to DOUBLE DOWN by more than doubling the number of tax proposals. Let’s take a closer look: A new property...
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April 11, 2025
Senate Republican Caucus

NEWSFLASH: Rent control, an assault on parents’ rights, and the fight against higher property taxes

WATCH: Sen. John Braun telling it like it is on property taxes and rent control     Senate Republican Leader John Braun tells us how it really is with the majority’s effort to: Remove the annual growth rate cap on your property taxes (SB 5798) so government can increase your property taxes by four or...
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April 10, 2025
Senate Republican Caucus

Rent control is a wolf in sheep’s clothing, says Braun

OLYMPIA…Today, majority Democrats in the Washington State Senate passed a misguided rent-control bill they claim will address the state’s critical shortage of affordable housing. Senate Republican Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, voted against House Bill 1217, as did his Republican colleagues. Braun shared this reaction to the vote: “We all agree that rents across our state...
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April 08, 2025
Senate Republican Caucus

Senate Republicans to hold news conference to stop Senate Bill 5798

“Regular people” will share personal impacts of bill to remove cap from annual property tax growth rate   OLYMPIA — The Washington State Senate Republican Caucus will hold a news conference to oppose continued efforts by majority Democrats to eliminate the 1% cap on the annual growth of state and local property taxes. Community members...
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April 04, 2025
Senate Republican Caucus

NEWSFLASH: Say what? Gov. Ferguson draws a line in the sand

    “Sometimes we need to tell our friends hard truths.” Earlier this week, the governor announced at a press conference that he will not sign any version of an operating budget that does not meet the following requirements: Protects the “rain-day fund” Is based on realistic revenue projections Minimizes new investments Includes savings and...
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April 01, 2025
Chris Gildon

Republican budget leaders appreciate governor’s stance on budget situation

OLYMPIA… The senators behind the no-new-taxes, no-cuts operating “$ave Washington” budget proposed by Senate Republicans offered this reaction to comments made today by Gov. Bob Ferguson about the operating budgets adopted by the Senate and House of Representatives in the past few days. From Sen. Chris Gildon of Puyallup, who is Senate Republican budget leader:...
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March 31, 2025
John Braun

43,153 people sign in to oppose property-tax increase being heard today in Senate budget committee

OLYMPIA…More than 43,000 people have signed in to oppose Senate Bill 5978, a proposal that would drastically raise property taxes — more than four times the opposition received for any previous bill to receive a public hearing in the Senate. SB 5978 is scheduled for a hearing today at 4 p.m. in the Senate Ways...
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March 29, 2025
Senate Republican Caucus

Republican budget leaders shocked by Democrats’ rejection of no-new-taxes, no-cuts budget proposal

OLYMPIA… The state Senate’s majority Democrats today passed a $78.6 billion operating budget that relies on the largest tax increase in state history, after rejecting the smaller, no-new-taxes, no-cuts budget proposed by Senate Republicans. The “$ave Washington” budget, which doesn’t outspend the state’s anticipated level of revenue, was offered in place of the Democrats’ own...
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