Dear Neighbor,
The Senate’s majority Democrats will release their proposed operating budget Monday. The operating budget is the largest by far of the three budgets that will come out of this legislative session, and many of the things it funds are day-to-day priorities like K-12 education and services for our most vulnerable residents.
While we wait a little longer to see the spending choices in that budget, I’m already concerned about some of the moves the majority is making on the tax/revenue side — and not just the massive package of tax increases we saw from Senate Democrats on Thursday.
Senate Bill 5785, which would increase tuition by 5% on top of the 3% already expected, will come before our Senate Ways and Means Committee on Monday afternoon for a public hearing. There is a very good chance it will take over first place as the bill generating the most public attention this session — which is measured by the number of people signing in online to either testify or register their opinion.
When I checked yesterday afternoon there were already close to 2,400 signed in, and 99.5% were opposed. No surprise there, as a tuition increase amounts to a tax hike. If you’d like to weigh in about SB 5785, click here to see the options.
Click the caption below to view my latest video report from the Capitol. It includes more information about the tuition situation as well as another tax increase that would be terrible for the tourism industry in our region.
Here’s one more budget-related item, specifically for the state employees residing in our district.
Democrats have proposed SB 5792 to cut the pay of state employees by 5% for the 2026 fiscal year (July 1 of this year through June 30 of next year). Add that in with the furloughs that have been proposed and here’s what you get: state employees would get see their pay cut for a year and be forced to take unpaid time off just so the majority can fund the $4 billion in pay raises negotiated by the former governor.
In contrast, our $ave Washington budget would not cut state workers’ pay, or require any furlough days — and in place of funding the costly pay raises, we would have the state-employee unions negotiate new agreements with Governor Ferguson, while giving each employee a $5,000 bonus in the meantime.
If you’re a state worker, I am interested in whether you would prefer the majority’s cut-furlough-raise approach or the Senate Republicans’ bonus-renegotiate approach. Let me know!
Also, while I say it in the video, I’ll also offer my gratitude here to the 200-plus people who registered for our virtual town hall meeting March 17. Because more of the questions we took were about housing than any other topic, the video below includes an update on the rent-control legislation that has come over from the House.
Click here to view my latest video report.
***
I am working to make living in our state more affordable, make our communities safer, uphold our paramount duty to provide for schools, and hold state government accountable. I’ll work with anyone who shares those goals and wants to find solutions.
Please reach out to my office with your thoughts, ideas and concerns on matters of importance to you. I am here to serve and look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
