Author Archives: brianzylstra

Senate unanimously approves capital budget ‘for the entire state’

The Senate today unanimously approved its version of the 2025-27 state capital budget, with the Republicans who helped develop the spending plan praising it for addressing needs throughout Washington.

“What we have is a capital budget for the entire state,” said 9th District Sen. Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, the lead Republican for the Senate capital budget. “We looked at this budget and saw fewer resources, so we made tougher decisions every step of the way, working on priorities that made both our side and our Democrat counterparts happy.

“This budget also leaves healthier reserves than we often have going into the second year of a biennium. When we come back next year, we can address unforeseen problems with those reserves.”

Schoesler’s full remarks prior to today’s vote may be viewed here.

“I’m really pleased with how well the Senate capital budget addresses needs throughout Washington,” said Sen. Perry Dozier, R-Waitsburg. He became assistant Republican leader on the capital-budget team this year, bringing government-budgeting experience from two terms as a Walla Walla County commissioner.

“We all made sure there is a lot of support for K-12 education, which is our state’s paramount duty, but this particular budget is also good for things like water projects, housing and fish hatcheries. That makes sense, if you look at the mix of backgrounds and priorities of the four senators who crafted it. I’m also glad we made progress on addressing some long-standing concerns about support for public-works projects.

“The capital budget has a reputation for being the most bipartisan of the three state budgets, and now I know why. We placed a lot of trust in one another in the course of developing this – each of us tried to be responsive to what the others brought to the table. That shows through in the budget itself and today’s unanimous vote.”

The Senate capital budget has a total price tag of $7.3 billion, with an ending-fund balance of $222 million.

It features $1 billion for K-12 education and early-learning projects, including $563 million for the School Construction Assistance Program. There is $201 million for Small District and Tribal School Modernization construction and planning grants, which will fund 40 additional small-school construction projects. Another $143 million is provided for additional school seismic-safety grants, plus $12 million for the new school security and preparedness infrastructure grants program.

The Senate capital budget spends $770 million on a variety of housing programs.

Schoesler and Dozier, both farmers, noted the state’s fairs benefit from this budget, which allocates a record $12 million for competitive grants to agricultural fairs for access- and safety-improvement projects.

The Senate capital budget also provides plenty of money for water-related needs on both sides of the Cascades, with robust funding for eastern Washington water-infrastructure programs. Those appropriations include $69 million for the Columbia River Water Supply Development Program, of which $44 million goes to the Odessa Groundwater Replacement Program, plus $53 million for the Yakima River Basin Water Supply Program and $13 million for the Yakima-Tieton Canal to start fixing damage to a wildfire.

In western Washington, $80 million is provided to fully fund the Chehalis River Basin Strategy, which includes flood control and salmon recovery.

There is also $85 million in the two-year plan for 15 fish hatcheries statewide – another record.

A total of $1.2 billion is allocated for projects at Washington’s four-year universities and other higher-education institutions. They include:

  • University of Washington: $40.8 million for Anderson Hall renovation.
  • Washington State University: $25 million for the Sciences Building, plus money for preventive facility maintenance and building-system repairs.
  • Central Washington University: $12 million for the emergency backup power system, $11 million for the university’s Humanities and Social Science Complex, and $10 million for an expansion of CWU’s aviation-degree program.
  • Eastern Washington University: $10 million for the dental-therapy lab, as well as funding for facility-preservation projects.
  • The state’s community and technical college system receives $400 million for various projects.

Once the House of Representatives passes its capital budget, budget writers from the Senate and House will meet as a “conference committee” to hammer out a compromise capital budget for both chambers to consider.

The 2025 legislative session is scheduled to end April 27.

Schoesler impressed by opposition to property-tax increase bill

This is no April Fools’ Day joke: A proposal introduced by Senate Democrats that would significantly raise property taxes in Washington saw more than 43,000 people sign in to oppose it, more than four times the opposition received for any previous bill to receive a public hearing in the Senate.

Senate Bill 5978 would eliminate the 1% cap on annual property-tax increases by state and local governments without requiring voter approval. Future rate increases would be tied to inflation and population growth, potentially raising property taxes by 8% to 9% annually.

Sen. Mark Schoesler, who as a member of the Senate Ways and Means Committee sat through Monday’s public hearing on SB 5978, said the record number of people reaching out to the Senate to express opposition to the measure is a crystal-clear sign from the public that it strongly opposes efforts to raise property taxes. The video of the public hearing on SB 5798 can be viewed here.

“Throughout this session, the strongest opposition that my office has received on any tax-increase legislation has been on bills to raise property taxes, especially the bill we heard in Ways and Means Monday night,” said Schoesler, R-Ritzville. “I already knew how unpopular it would be to raise property taxes. But the hearing on SB 5978 was very historic when you realize that over 43,000 people – which is greater than Martin Stadium’s seating capacity at WSU and almost would fill up T-Mobile Park in Seattle – signed up to say they are against this terrible bill.”

Despite the record-shattering public opposition, Democrats on the committee are expected to pass SB 5978 during its meeting on Thursday. If that happens, the proposal will advance to the Senate Rules Committee, the final hurdle before SB 5978 can reach the Senate floor for a full vote.

“Not a single constituent in my 9th Legislative District has told me they support this bill. In fact, everyone I’ve talked to about this bill has clearly said they don’t want to have more taxes on their home. It’s really disappointing the Democrats on the Ways and Means Committee don’t seem to respect the public’s wishes by killing this bill. When over 43,000 people take time to tell committee members they oppose a certain bill, you’d think those members would listen and think twice about passing it. Unfortunately, the Democrats’ overzealous desire and commitment to squeeze more money out of hard-working Washingtonians knows no bounds,” said Schoesler.

Schoesler blasts Senate operating budget for out-of-control spending, record-setting taxes

The new two-year state operating-budget proposal passed by Senate Democrats today needlessly increases spending and raises taxes by a record amount, says Sen. Mark Schoesler.

The Senate’s operating budget was passed 28-21, with Schoesler and all other Republicans and two Democrats voting against it.

The Senate Democrats’ operating budget has a total price tag of $78.6 billion, a 9% spending increase over the current two-year budget.

“There are two main problems with the Senate Democrats’ operating budget: It raises taxes and overspends, despite the state facing a budget shortfall of more than $6 billion,” said Schoesler, R-Ritzville. “In fact, their budget adds an obscenely large amount – $12.1 billion – in new policy spending. At a time when state government should live within the existing revenue, Democrats again are insisting on unsustainable spending, putting our state on a path that eventually could hurt the vulnerable. It even spends nearly all of the state’s rainy-day fund, which is risky in itself since that money is meant for true budget emergencies, not to cover the Democrats’ unending desire to grow government, at the expense of hard-working Washingtonians.”

Schoesler points out the Senate Democrats’ operating budget would impose over $21 billion in new or higher taxes, including a hike in the amount state and local governments can raise property-tax rates annually without voter approval.

“Keep in mind Democrats last year planned to triple the allowable growth rate for property taxes to 3% annually, from 1%, but they backed off due to strong public opposition. The Senate Ds’ new plan would eliminate any cap. You and other property owners could face annual property-tax increases of 8% or higher. Such a large hike in property taxes year after year could force many homeowners and renters out of their homes at a time when housing is already a challenge for many in Washington,” said Schoesler.

On top of their proposed tax hikes, Senate Democrats want to increase fees that would hit many families. They have proposed raising tuition by $3,000 a year per family, which flies in the face of the tuition freeze that the Senate Majority Coalition Caucus (Republicans plus two Democrats) achieved many years ago, as well as eliminating financial aid for about 17,000 students. Democrats also want to double long-term care fees, adding $90 million in costs that will be passed on to Washington residents who pay privately for long-term care insurance, which makes the WA Cares program even more costly.

During debate on the operating budget, Republicans tried to pass a floor amendment that would have replaced the Democrats’ operating budget with the Republican budget proposal, which would not require any tax increases while maintaining spending levels for essential state services.

“Our Republican plan avoids the false argument that you either have to significantly raise taxes or drastically reduce spending to balance the state operating budget. Our plan offers a sensible third way to address the budget shortfall. Unfortunately, the floor amendment to use the Republican budget was rejected by majority Democrats on a party-line vote,” said Schoesler, who pointed out that the Republican budget plan also would allow the Discover Pass fee and hunting and fishing license fees to remain untouched.

“The majority budget is going to tax the people who fish and hunt to help the general-fund budget. That is just wrong. Our friends and neighbors should not be treated like they are millionaires to get more money out of them,” said Schoesler.

The House of Representatives is expected to pass its version of the operating budget on Monday. After that happens, Senate and House budget leaders will meet to work out differences between the two proposals and agree on a compromise budget.

 

9th District legislators to host virtual town hall on Thursday, March 20

Sen. Mark Schoesler, Rep. Joe Schmick and Rep. Mary Dye are inviting citizens to join them Thursday, March 20 for a 9th District virtual town hall meeting.

The eastern Washington lawmakers will provide an update of the 2025 legislative session and then take questions from participants. Citizens may also submit written questions during the process of registering to participate in the meeting.

During the town hall meeting, the 9th District legislative team will discuss several issues, including:

  • The upcoming two-year state operating, capital and transportation budgets.
  • The likelihood that majority Democrats will impose new and/or higher taxes on Washingtonians.
  • Efforts by Democrats to pass anti-gun legislation.
  • Bills impacting K-12 education and higher education.
  • Bills affecting agriculture in Washington.

The event will be held from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. and conducted using the Zoom platform. Preregistration is required by going to https://tinyurl.com/9thTownHall2025. Those registering will receive a confirmation email with instructions for joining the meeting.

2025 session week 6 video update