News from the Caucus
A weekly summary of Senate Republican Caucus content, featuring links to videos, radio and podcast appearances, press releases, social media posts, priority bills, and a short list of bad bills to watch.
ALERT: The budget shortfall was NEVER $16 billion – it’s just a Democrat talking point
No matter how many times the governor said it in his news conference and no matter how many times the press repeats Democrat talking points… The TRUE budget shortfall number was never higher than $7.5 billion. The nonpartisan legislative staff with Senate Committee Services (SCS) and the House Office of Program Research (OPR),...
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Senate Republican leaders surprised, disappointed by governor’s backing of largest tax increase in state history
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...
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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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Boehnke blasts majority party’s triple-tax package: ‘Wrong direction for Washington’
Sen. Matt Boehnke, R-Kennewick/Credit: Washington State Senate OLYMPIA… In a stark rebuke of the majority party’s latest tax agenda, Sen. Matt Boehnke today issued a statement following the Senate’s passage of three major tax bills—Senate Bill 5813, Senate Bill 5814, and Senate Bill 5794—all of which impose new or expanded tax burdens on Washington residents...
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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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Boehnke applauds B.C.’s decision to end consumer carbon tax
Sen. Matt Boehnke, R-Kennewick/Credit: Washington State Senate OLYMPIA… British Columbia’s government has announced the swift repeal of its consumer carbon tax, drawing praise from Sen. Matt Boehnke, lead Republican on the state Senate’s energy committee. “British Columbia’s leadership has finally acknowledged what conservatives have been saying for years: carbon taxes harm working families and do...
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