Author Archives: brianzylstra

Schoesler criticizes committee passage of bill creating state income tax

Sen. Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville and a member of the Senate Ways and Means Committee, issued this statement following the Ways and Means Committee’s approval tonight of Senate Bill 5096, the Democrat-sponsored proposal requested by Gov. Jay Inslee that would create a state income tax on capital gains.

“This bill is a classic example of the majority party cramming a very bad and unnecessary bill down the throats of Washingtonians,” said Schoesler. “Voters have rejected a state income tax proposal 10 times over the past 85 years. A recent Elway Poll revealed that only 41 percent of respondents support a tax on capital gains, which is even less support than what a similar poll showed two years ago. Our state’s long-term revenue outlook is better than Democrats claim. Washington doesn’t want or need an income tax on capital gains. Yet the Democrats still insist on creating one.

“What adds insult to injury is that this bill includes an emergency clause, which means that if it’s signed into law by the governor, the very person who requested this tax in the first place, then it cannot go before the state’s voters as a referendum. It’s laughable for them to say an emergency clause is even needed when the tax created by this proposal would not be owed until 2023.

“Before the committee voted on the bill tonight, Republicans offered many common-sense amendments to try to improve what is a very bad bill. Unfortunately, all of these amendments were defeated by the Democrats. Chances are that this bill, if passed and then signed by the governor, will end up in court.”

Schoesler bill would offer property-tax relief for residents rebuilding homes destroyed by September wildfires

Nearly 300 homes, including more than 120 residences in or near the Whitman County towns of Malden and Pine City, were destroyed by wildfires torching different parts of Washington last September.

Sen. Mark Schoesler has introduced legislation that would offer property-tax relief for those who are rebuilding homes damaged or destroyed by these wildfires.

Under Senate Bill 5454, Washington residents who lost a home to wildfire between Sept. 1 and Sept. 19, 2020, would be exempt from paying property taxes on the full value of the original structure for three years, if the home is being rebuilt or physically improved.

“The horrific wildfire that struck Malden on Labor Day last year literally burned down nearly that entire town, leaving more than a hundred families homeless and with barely any possessions left,” said Schoesler, R-Ritzville, whose district includes Whitman County. “Many other families in different parts of Washington also lost their homes to wildfires last September. It’s been a terrible situation for all of them. This bill would help ease their financial burden as they try to rebuild their homes and their lives.”

Senate Bill 5454 has been referred to the Senate Ways and Means Committee. The bipartisan proposal has nine co-sponsors from districts on both sides of the state, including the chair of the Ways and Means Committee, Sen. Christine Rolfes.

According to a Spokane news report, 121 homes, eight commercial properties and 94 other structures were destroyed by the Labor Day wildfire in or near Malden and Pine City.

Statewide, 298 homes were lost in the September wildfires. In all, more than 700 structures were lost. In all, more than 600,000 acres burned in Washington during the two weeks after Labor Day.

Schoesler represents the 9th Legislative District, which covers all or part of Adams, Asotin, Franklin, Garfield, Spokane and Whitman counties.

Senate passes Schoesler’s rural ambulance bill

The Senate today approved a bill prime-sponsored by Sen. Mark Schoesler that would make it easier for two tiny Whitman County towns to continue providing joint ambulance service.

Schoesler’s proposal, Senate Bill 5198, was passed 48-1. It now goes to the House of Representatives for consideration.

A 2017 state law allows rural ambulance-service providers to overcome personnel shortages by allowing ambulance drivers who don’t have first aid or medical training. It inadvertently left out ambulance services shared by two or more municipalities, such as Farmington and Garfield.

“This bill would allow the continued operations of shared ambulance services so communities like Farmington and Garfield don’t have to turn to other providers farther away, simply because the driver of the ambulance isn’t trained in first aid,” said Schoesler, R-Ritzville.

Schoesler’s proposal would permit ambulance services established by an association comprising two or more municipalities in a rural area to use a driver without any medical or first-aid training.

“My bill and the law it would update both work because when an ambulance carries a patient to a hospital, the driver really doesn’t have a role in caring for the patient,” said Schoesler. “The EMTs in the back really are the persons in charge. The driver simply needs to be at least 18, pass a background check, and possess a valid driver’s license with no restrictions. This is a common-sense proposal that uses the co-op principle to meet the needs of rural communities.”

Schoesler says Asotin, other counties need to move into Phase 2 of recovery plan

On the heels of Tuesday’s announcement that all of Idaho is moving to Phase 3 of its COVID-19 recovery plan, 9th Legislative District Sen. Mark Schoesler says it is time for neighboring Asotin County and other counties to move into Phase 2 of Washington’s recovery plan.

Gov. Jay Inslee’s Healthy Washington plan, unveiled last month, divided the state into eight regions. Asotin County is in the East region with Adams, Ferry, Garfield, Lincoln, Pend Oreille, Spokane, Stevens and Whitman counties.

“I agree with the Asotin County commissioners that it’s ridiculous to include their county in the same region as Spokane County,” said Schoesler, R-Ritzville. “If Asotin County was moved out of the East region under the governor’s latest recovery plan, the county could move into Phase 2, which would be so much better for its people economically.”

Schoesler says Inslee and his state Department of Health officials should view Clarkston and Asotin County more in connection with Lewiston and Nez Perce County instead of distant Spokane County.

“Clarkston and Lewiston are separated only by the Snake River, so you’d think Asotin County would be in the same COVID-19 recovery phase as Lewiston. Unfortunately, our governor doesn’t see it that way,” said Schoesler, who added that Whitman County, which also borders Idaho, is in a similar economic disadvantage by being frozen in Phase 1 while Idaho moves forward with its Phase 3.

Schoesler agrees with Asotin County Public Health Administrator Brady Woodbury’s assertion that most of the smaller counties in the Eastern region are on the verge of meeting the standards that would allow them to move to Phase 2.

“The current plan being used by Governor Inslee and the state Department of Health is unfair to the rural counties in eastern Washington,” said Schoesler. “Asotin County’s fate for reopening and seeing some of the COVID-19 restrictions lifted should not be tied to a very populated Spokane County that is almost 100 miles away. Lumping Asotin County together with Spokane County is just a terrible and inflexible decision by the governor and his public health minions.”

Under Inslee’s plan, a region originally had to meet four public-health metrics in order to relax some restrictions. No region, however, has met those four benchmarks. Under new requirements, regions must meet only three of the four metrics to move to the second, less-restrictive phase.

As a result of that change, the three counties – King, Pierce and Snohomish – in the Puget Sound region this week advanced to Phase 2. The four counties in the West region, which includes Grays Harbor, Lewis, Pacific and Thurston, also moved to Phase 2. It means, for example, that restaurants and fitness centers can allow people indoors at 25% capacity, and social/home gatherings of up to five people from up to two households are allowed.

Last week the state Senate’s majority Democrats blocked two requests from Republicans for a vote on Senate Bill 5114, a bipartisan measure Schoesler is co-sponsoring that would move all of Washington into Phase 2.

Schoesler and 9th Legislative District Reps. Joe Schmick and Mary Dye received an email Tuesday from Asotin County Commissioner Chuck Whitman, who called it “unacceptable” that his county is being put at an economic disadvantage as Idaho advances to Phase 3 of its plan.

Whitman asked the legislators to help move Asotin County to Phase 2 or at least allow the county to be an exception to the regional approach in Inslee’s latest reopening plan.

“As a border town with Idaho, separated by a bridge, the impact on this growing divide and economic inequality may be fatal for many small businesses in Asotin County,” Whitman wrote.

 

Schoesler introduces bill to provide relief for employers on UI taxes

Sen. Mark Schoesler has introduced a bill that seeks to provide relief for Washington employers who are facing the possibility of paying higher unemployment-insurance taxes as they also struggle with the effects of the COVID-19 economic shutdown.

Senate Bill 5197 would adjust the calculation used to determine UI taxes. Much like a tuition cap gives certainty to families and students about the costs of higher education, Schoesler’s bill would create a cap on UI taxes to provide welcome stability for employers when it comes to this particular cost of doing business.

“The state’s unemployment insurance fund shrank significantly over the past year for a couple of reasons,” said Schoesler, R-Ritzville. “The economic shutdown caused by COVID caused workers in our state to file a shockingly high number of unemployment claims – and then hundreds of millions of dollars were lost by our state Employment Security Department to foreign fraudsters. Now employers in Washington could be forced to pay more in unemployment insurance taxes, for reasons that aren’t their fault. My bill would at least provide some needed stability at a time when our job providers really need it.”

Schoesler, who owns and operates a wheat farm near Ritzville, says the past year has been especially difficult and unusual for most Washington employers.

“First the government forces so many of them to close, driving up the number of unemployment claims and draining the fund that pays those claims; then the government wants more tax to refill the fund! A local chamber member, who was forced to lay off people during the initial lockdown but hired them all back as soon as possible, told me their UI rate went from about .4% to nearly 4%. That’s as unfair as it gets.”

Schoesler said his bill is different than Gov. Jay Inslee’s requested legislation, SB 5061, which would reduce the financial pain for employers facing bigger UI taxes by spreading the increase out over a longer period.

“One thing that I don’t like about the governor’s proposal is that it also would increase UI benefits in conjunction with the tax hike and extend eligibility beyond layoffs to what are called ‘voluntary quits.’ That’s hardly a satisfactory solution, in my opinion,” said Schoesler.

The 9th District legislator is a co-sponsor of SB 5171, which would take $1 billion from the state’s rainy-day fund to help “backfill” the unemployment insurance money that had to be paid out so unexpectedly.

“Our state’s rainy-day fund was created so it can be used for real emergencies. It’s an appropriate source for this needed relief, and could make the difference between survival and failure for employers who are still hanging on,” said Schoesler.

SB 5197 has been referred to the Senate Labor, Commerce and Tribal Affairs Committee. SB 5171 has been sent to the Senate Ways and Means Committee. No public hearing has been scheduled for either proposal.

Schoesler offers bill to help rural communities maintain ambulance service

It can be a challenge for very small, rural communities to provide ambulance service for their citizens. A bill prime-sponsored by Sen. Mark Schoesler aims to make it easier for two tiny Whitman County towns, Garfield and Farmington, to continue providing joint ambulance service.

Schoesler’s proposal, Senate Bill 5198, has been referred to the Senate Housing and Local Government Committee, where it is scheduled to receive a public hearing on Jan. 21 at 8 a.m. Schoesler introduced similar legislation in 2019.

A 2017 state law allows rural ambulance-service providers to overcome personnel shortages by allowing ambulance drivers who don’t have first aid or medical training. It inadvertently left out ambulance services shared by two or more municipalities, such as Garfield and Farmington.

“This bill would let shared ambulance services continue operations so these communities don’t have to turn to other providers farther away, simply because the driver of the ambulance isn’t trained in first aid,” said Schoesler, R-Ritzville.

Schoesler’s proposal would permit ambulance services established by an association comprising two or more municipalities in a rural area to use a driver without any medical or first-aid training.

“My bill and the law it would update both work because when an ambulance carries a patient to a hospital, the driver really doesn’t have a role in caring for the patient,” said Schoesler. “The EMTs in the back really are the persons in charge. The driver simply needs to be at least 18, pass a background check, and possess a valid driver’s license with no restrictions. This is a common-sense proposal that uses the co-op principle to meet the needs of rural communities.”

Schoesler frustrated by complete closure of Legislative Building during session

Sen. Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, issued this statement regarding the closure of the Legislative Building and other Capitol Campus buildings to the public during the 2021 legislative session due to the COVID-19 pandemic:

“The Legislature is now in session to do the people’s business, yet the people are not allowed to get anywhere close to the Capitol to see their elected legislators in action or to interact in person with them on issues or concerns.

“I understand why fencing was put around the Capitol, and why there is such a strong presence by members of the Washington State Patrol, and National Guard and legislative security personnel. Nobody saw a reason for any of this until the U.S. Capitol was attacked, and now that the ‘wall’ is up Governor Inslee says he wants it to remain through Inauguration Day. I wonder if he’ll just leave it up indefinitely after that and point to our outgoing president as the excuse.

“Assuming the fence comes down and the additional security force goes away, the public will still be kept at arm’s length from what is supposed to be their government by the majority Democrats’ restrictions on public access. I appreciate the interest in protecting legislators, staff, lobbyists and the public from exposure to COVID-19, but conducting our work virtually has created a new kind of ‘haves’ and ‘have-nots’ in our state. One of the reasons I’m at the Capitol, instead of working from home like many legislators, is that I won’t risk missing a debate or a vote if there’s trouble with the internet service at my farm. Those who have reliable internet will be able to consider testifying remotely before legislative committees. Those who don’t will be shut out because they don’t have the option of traveling to Olympia and testifying in person.

“I have to believe most of us have left our homes at some point during this pandemic and set foot inside a retail store – and even if that store didn’t require the following of COVID precautions, we know what those precautions are. The Legislature’s meeting places are ‘boxes’ too, and that’s what makes the majority’s restrictions so frustrating. If people can shop at big-box or small retail stores, the public should be able to enter the Capitol as well.”