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Sen. Mark Schoesler 2019 session update (Week 12)
Sen. Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, is applauding the 2019-21 Senate transportation budget’s inclusion of an $11.15 million project that would add climbing lanes on State Route 26 between Dusty and Colfax in Whitman County.
“I’m very pleased to see the Senate budget not only includes funding for the climbing lanes on SR-26, but it would provide all $11 million-plus for this project in the 2019-21 budget period, which means construction could begin as early as next year if the House agrees with the Senate’s funding timeline for this project,” said Schoesler.
“There has been a real need for climbing lanes along this stretch of Highway 26 because it currently is very unsafe for drivers to pass due to limited visibility caused by hills. Adding climbing lanes will make trips on this part of the highway safer for WSU students and area residents,” added Schoesler, who praised Pullman Mayor Glenn Johnson for organizing a grass-roots effort to secure funding for climbing lanes on SR-26. Schoesler also lauded Senate Transportation Committee Chair Steve Hobbs, D-Lake Stevens, and Yakima Sen. Curtis King, the committee’s ranking Republican, for moving up the project’s timeline so it can be completed sooner.
Schoesler joined the rest of the Senate Thursday in voting 47-0 to approve the Senate transportation budget, which was amended onto the House budget, Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1160. Because the Senate amended its own transportation budget onto the House version, Senate and House transportation budget leaders are expected to meet to work out differences as the 2019 legislative session nears its April 28 completion date.
Senate Republican Leader Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, responded to today’s release of the Senate Democrats’ 2019-21 operating budget proposal by calling on the Democratic majorities in the Senate and House to back up their calls for “tax fairness” by passing legislation that lowers regressive taxes on Washingtonians.
“One of the main arguments that Democrats make when they again demand a state income tax on capital gains is that it’s about fairness,” said Schoesler, who is a member of the budget-writing Senate Ways and Means Committee. “If the Democrats really care about tax fairness, they should take advantage of our historically large revenue surplus and actually cut regressive taxes that affect low- and middle-income people the most, such as the state sales tax and Sound Transit taxes.
“Many people living in King, Pierce and Snohomish counties are having a hard time making ends meet because of the high taxes just to pay for Sound Transit,” added Schoesler. “Lowering the state sales tax would help consumers from South Bend to Spokane.
“Instead of constantly talking about tax fairness in ways that stick it to taxpayers, maybe my Democratic colleagues should take advantage of our exceptional revenue surplus and for once realize it would be fair to give taxpayers a well-earned tax reduction.”