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PUYALLUP… The budget leader for the state’s Senate Republicans says the “significant” shortfall anticipated in the next state operating budget by Gov. Bob Ferguson’s administration was completely predictable. Sen. Chris Gildon, R-Puyallup, offered this reaction to budgeting instructions sent to state agencies that call for reductions without acknowledging Olympia’s chronic overspending: “Republicans repeatedly warned the...

Today State Sen. Drew MacEwen, R-Shelton, issued a formal demand for an immediate special session of the Washington State Legislature to address the compounding effects of skyrocketing fuel prices, hidden utility taxes, and looming double-digit electricity rate hikes. MacEwen is calling on Gov. Bob Ferguson and the Legislature’s Democratic majority to stop ignoring the financial...

Today State Sen. Drew MacEwen, R-Shelton, issued a formal demand for an immediate special session of the Washington State Legislature to address the compounding effects of skyrocketing fuel prices, hidden utility taxes, and looming double-digit electricity rate hikes. MacEwen is calling on Gov. Bob Ferguson and the Legislature’s Democratic majority to stop ignoring the financial...

OLYMPIA… Leaders in the Senate Republican Caucus offered these reactions to today’s announcement by Gov. Bob Ferguson that he will support the proposed state income tax if a rewrite suggested by House Democrats is approved. From Senate Republican Leader John Braun, of Centralia: “Washingtonians have voted down an income tax 11 times. That should mean...

OLYMPIA… Senate Republican leaders say the governor chose the wrong side today in signing a new state operating budget that relies on the largest package of tax increases in Washington history. Despite earlier denouncing new taxes that would hit the state’s working families, Gov. Bob Ferguson decided not to veto bills that will extend the...

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....

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...

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...

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...

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...

“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...

    “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...