Operating Budget

March 11, 2024

E-News: That’s all, folks! Legislature ends historic session

Hello Friends and Neighbors, My 10th and final session as a state legislator (the video of my announcement is here) ended on time Thursday – several hours ahead of the midnight deadline, in fact. It was also free of the drama I’ve seen in other years as legislators try desperately...
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February 25, 2024

E-News: Check your energy bill! How does the cap-and-trade law affect you?

As a supporter of the six initiatives submitted to the Legislature this year, I appreciated being able to say a few words Friday to a crowd of others who rallied on the Capitol steps because they feel the same way! February 25, 2024 Hello Friends and Neighbors, Tomorrow is Day...
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February 23, 2024

K-12 education, public safety lead list of changes made in supplemental budget adopted by Senate

OLYMPIA… By a strongly bipartisan 45-4 vote, the Senate today adopted a supplemental operating budget that would make important investments in K-12 education and public safety without requiring any tax increases. Sen. Lynda Wilson, R-Vancouver and Senate Republican budget leader, offered these comments about the $71.6 billion plan, which revises...
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February 19, 2024

Senate Republican budget leader encouraged by proposal with strong lean toward addressing public-safety concerns

OLYMPIA… The Senate supplemental operating budget proposed today would address a host of public-safety priorities while maintaining essential services and balancing without new taxes, according to Sen. Lynda Wilson, Senate Republican budget leader. Between the attention to Washington’s drug-overdose crisis, the smallest policy-related spending increase in a supplemental budget since...
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February 16, 2024

E-News: Think every legislator puts the safety of children first? Think again

  February 16, 2024 Hello Friends and Neighbors, As of today there are 20 days left in this year’s session. With the exception of budget updates, we’re through with moving Senate bills across to the House of Representatives, and are back to meeting as committees – this time to consider...
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February 14, 2024

STATEMENT: Slight increase in revenue confirms need for responsible spending approach, says Senate Republican budget leader

OLYMPIA… Sen. Lynda Wilson says the latest state revenue forecast confirms the wisdom of keeping a firm grip on spending in the supplemental operating budget that must be adopted before lawmakers adjourn March 7. Wilson, R-Vancouver, chairs the state Economic and Revenue Forecast Council. It met this morning to adopt...
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January 16, 2024

STATEMENT: Capital-gains tax still on track for review, says budget leader

OLYMPIA… One way or another the fate of Washington’s tax on capital-gains income will be decided this year, predicts Sen. Lynda Wilson, R-Vancouver and budget leader for the state Senate’s Republican caucus. She offered this reaction today after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to review the Washington Supreme Court’s 2023...
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January 13, 2024

Session gets under way, massive tax hike already being proposed

When I and other budget leaders met with news reporters to preview our session I spoke about the need to be conservative about appropriating the billions of dollars collectively generated by the capital-gains income tax, the long-term care payroll tax and the cap-and-trade law, because those sources would go away...
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December 22, 2023

E-News: Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Hello Friends and Neighbors, You’re probably busy with holiday-related things so I’ll make this brief. The next legislative session begins two weeks from Christmas Day – that’s Monday, January 8. To repeat the invitation made in my previous e-newsletter, I’d like to hear any ideas you have for legislation. After...
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December 13, 2023

Governor’s spending proposal continues worrisome trends, says Republican budget chief

OLYMPIA — Gov. Jay Inslee’s new supplemental budget proposal continues the same worrisome trends of the decade he has been in office, said Sen. Lynda Wilson, R-Vancouver, ranking Republican on the Senate Ways and Means Committee. “The good news is that the governor isn’t proposing any new taxes,” Wilson said....
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