STATEMENT: Year’s second strong revenue forecast has Wilson renewing call for tax relief VANCOUVER… The state’s chief economist is predicting another significant jump in state-government revenue, as Washington’s economy continues to recover from pandemic-related restrictions. The year’s second quarterly revenue forecast, issued today, indicates a gain of $2.2 billion through the 2021-23 budget cycle and more than $3.5 billion over the state’s four-year... Read More...

E-Newsletter: A one-two punch… Hello Friends and Neighbors, It’s Saturday morning, and at 8 a.m. our Senate Ways and Means Committee will begin public hearings on four pieces of legislation. Three of the bills have come over from the House of Representatives; the fourth is a Senate Democratic bill that responds to the state... Read More...

E-Newsletter: Hoping your Easter is happy and blessed! Hello Friends and Neighbors, The 2021 session crossed the three-quarters mark this week, and the big news is the Senate’s passage of two budgets… budgets that could hardly be more different, as I’ll explain. Today brings another of the session’s major deadlines. A week ago it was for Senate policy... Read More...

E-Newsletter: Your response to my survey Hello Friends and Neighbors, The budget Governor Inslee submitted to the Legislature in December included the income-tax proposal that became Senate Bill 5096. When the Senate Democrats bring out their proposed operating budget this Thursday, will it incorporate the income tax somehow? Even though no revenue from the tax could... Read More...

Senate Republican leaders: Inslee’s school-choice approach to reopening K-12 instruction solid step toward improving youth mental health OLYMPIA… Leaders in the Senate Republican Caucus released the following remarks in response to Gov. Jay Inslee’s announcement today that all K-12 public schools in Washington will be required by executive order to provide safe in-person and remote learning options for students by mid-April. Senate Republican Leader John Braun, R-Centralia:... Read More...

E-Newsletter: Let’s talk Monday! Hello Friends and Neighbors, I’ll start this report with one more call to sign up for our “virtual” town hall, which will be from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. this coming Monday. I’m confident Rep. Harris and Rep. Kraft will have plenty to report; I certainly will, especially about the state’s... Read More...