Leadership Blog

In the News

AUDIO/PHOTOS: Sens. Mark Schoesler, Nikki Torres, and Perry Dozier on KONA Radio

Published on May 16, 2025
Senators Mark Schoesler, Nikki Torres, and Perry Dozier discuss the latest budget decisions, tax policies, and housing challenges impacting Eastern Washington. They highlight bipartisan efforts, concerns over rising costs, and the potential for a special legislative session. LISTEN  
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AUDIO: Braun: Tragic fentanyl-related death of Puyallup child shows continued need for stronger child-endangerment laws

Published on May 13, 2025
A five-year-old Puyallup boy died from fentanyl exposure in his own home—a tragedy the State Senate Republican Leader says should never happen. Tracy Ellis reports.
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AUDIO: Sen. John Braun Talks Budget, Campus Protests & Leadership with KVI’s Ari Hoffman

Published on May 08, 2025
On KVI, Sen. John Braun joins Ari Hoffman to discuss Washington’s budget concerns, campus protests at UW, and Democratic silence on antisemitism. He critiques overspending, calls for accountability, and urges leadership to address rising tensions. A candid conversation on pressing state issues.
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AUDIO: Sen. John Braun Discusses Washington’s Budget and Tax Hikes on The Lars Larson Show

Published on May 08, 2025
Sen. John Braun joins Lars Larson to analyze Washington’s budget decisions, tax hikes, and Gov. Ferguson’s stance. He critiques spending habits, warns of economic risks, and urges fiscal responsibility. Will the governor veto or sign these controversial measures?
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Braun praises UW officials for response to protests, calls for prosecutions

Published on May 06, 2025
Monday’s protest at the University of Washington took a dangerous turn as demonstrators occupied a campus building, set fires, and barricaded entrances. The State Senate Republican leader says it can’t be tolerated. Tracy Ellis reports.
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News from the Caucus

April 27, 2025
Senate Republican Caucus

NEWSFLASH: Legislative Democrats ignore the advice of many and raise $12.5 billion in taxes just for the operating budget

Session ends with long debate on $77.9 billion operating budget   After long and heated debate, the majority passed the 2025-27 operating budget without a single Senate Republican vote. The document, which was released Saturday for a Sunday vote, is more than 1,300 pages long and spends nearly $80 billion over the next four years....
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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 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 15, 2025
Chris Gildon

On ‘Tax Day,’ Senate Democrats propose billions more in tax increases

OLYMPIA… As Washingtonians mark Tax Day, Olympia is seeing a second wave of tax proposals from the state Senate’s majority Democrats, to go with the $21 billion in new and higher taxes wrapped into the operating-budget proposal they endorsed two weeks ago. The majority’s new tax legislation emerged today – coincidentally on the same day...
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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 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 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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March 29, 2025
Chris Gildon

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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March 29, 2025
John Braun

Senate Democrats REJECT opportunity to pass a no-new-tax and no-cuts budget

  OLYMPIA…In a 28-21 vote, the Washington State Senate Democrats today passed their $78.5 billion operating budget proposal, the funding for which relies on the largest tax increase in state history and a raiding of the “rainy-day fund.” Senate Democrats also rejected a striking amendment proposed by Sen. Chris Gildon, R-Puyallup, that would have substituted...
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March 27, 2025
John Braun

Braun: Tell the majority “NO” on higher property taxes

OLYMPIA – A Democrat-sponsored bill that could dramatically increase Washington’s property taxes will receive a public hearing in the Senate Ways & Means Committee at 4 p.m. Monday, March 31. The public is encouraged to sign in CON, testify against the bill, and/or submit written testimony opposing it. Senate Bill 5798 would remove the 1%...
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