News from the Caucus

Senate Republican leader concerned for retail leviathan’s future investment in local job growth OLYMPIA…Amazon’s announcement today of two locations – New York City and Arlington, Virginia – as the homes for new headquarters ends the long and closely watched search for its next wave of investment and employment. The decision also begins a new conversation...

For one week and counting top state officials have been unresponsive to a request from Sen. John Braun to help prevent school closures. On Aug. 24 the Senate Republican budget leader sent a letter to Gov. Jay Inslee, state Attorney General Bob Ferguson and Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal requesting they take an active...

No monkey business with initiatives, court tells Legislature A state Supreme Court ruling Tuesday sends a police-deadly-force initiative to the November ballot, protects the initiative process, and establishes the supremacy of the state constitution over the whims of some legislators who find it inconvenient, says Sen. Mike Padden, R-Spokane Valley. Padden was one of the...

OLYMPIA… After receiving no direct response from the Governor, Senate Republican Leader Mark Schoesler sent a third letter July 12, requesting clarification from Gov. Jay Inslee on how Washington plans to address changes to union dues collections. “I’m concerned that there are conversations happening behind closed doors to circumvent the Supreme Court decision, including discussions...

OLYMPIA…In a letter delivered Monday to Gov. Jay Inslee, Sen. Mark Schoesler called attention to guilt and scare tactics used by a state-worker union toward a member wanting to end salary deductions for unwanted union membership. Such deductions are now illegal under last month’s U.S. Supreme Court decision in Janus v. American Federation of State,...

OLYMPIA…Today the Seattle City Council repealed the “head tax” it unanimously enacted less than a month ago despite widespread and deafening opposition. Senate Republican Leader Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, and Sen. Steve O’Ban, R-University Place, responded to the repeal by reinforcing their determination to continue with legislation that would clearly make such a tax illegal statewide...

OLYMPIA… Senate Republican Leader Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, today offered this response to the governor’s announcement Wednesday that highlighted a study characterizing Washington as the best place in the world to build airplanes: “I’m pleased but not surprised that the study unveiled today supports my belief that our state offers many advantages for the aerospace industry,...

OLYMPIA…Sen. Mark Schoesler issued the following statement in response to the Seattle City Council passing the notorious “jobs tax” Monday despite the city having no constitutional authority to levy the tax. Schoesler, R-Ritzville, has drafted a bill that will make this clear to Seattle and any other Washington cities considering a similar move. “The Seattle...

  KING-TV survey shows landslide of opposition to controversial proposal   OLYMPIA…In a poll conducted during its Wednesday-evening broadcast, Seattle’s KING-TV asked viewers to weigh in on the controversial jobs tax proposed by the Seattle City Council. Did they side with supporters of the council’s proposal or with its biggest target – Amazon.com? The sentiment...

   Seattle City Council’s “Amazon Tax” another example of its narrow-minded agenda   OLYMPIA…In the wake of this week’s political rally in Seattle in support of a new tax on large employers, Sen. Mark Schoesler, Senate Republican Leader, offered the following statement: “Jobs that large employers such as Amazon and Boeing create are critical to...

New law robs home health-care workers, circumvents U.S. Supreme Court ruling   OLYMPIA…Senate Republican Leader Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, offered the following comments Tuesday after Gov. Jay Inslee signed controversial legislation that essentially gives home health-care workers no choice but to sacrifice part of their modest income to pay dues to one of the state’s most...

Olympia…Senate Republican Leader Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, offered this comment about the 2018 supplemental operating budget, which was developed without bipartisan input and was presented to the Legislature for a vote this afternoon – on the last day of the legislative session: “I’ve been in the Legislature for 26 years and in that time, I’ve seen...