Author Archives: brianzylstra
For the fifth straight year, 9th District Sen. Mark Schoesler has a measure before the Legislature that aims to help school districts in Washington address their building-maintenance needs.
Senate Bill 5403 would allow school districts to create a “depreciation subfund” that can receive a transfer of up to 2 percent of a school district’s general fund each fiscal year.
“This bill would provide another path for school districts to handle building- or facility-maintenance needs,” said Schoesler, R-Ritzville. “Sometimes it can be better for a school district to pay cash for a building repair or to set aside money for emergencies when they arise. Establishing this subfund, which is voluntary, is a way to help students learn in a healthy environment since school buildings would be in better condition.
“School administrators have recognized the value of this proposal, and I’m optimistic that my colleagues in the Senate and House will agree and vote to approve it this year.”
The bipartisan proposal has been assigned to the Senate Early Learning and K-12 Education Committee for consideration.
During the 2021 and 2022 legislative sessions, the Senate twice easily passed an earlier version of Schoesler’s bill. Senate Bill 5202 reached the House Rules Committee and was placed on the House floor calendar in both sessions before stalling.
Schoesler introduced a similar measure during the 2019 and 2020 sessions, but it was not passed by the Senate.
Two environmental laws from the Democratic-controlled Legislature and Gov. Jay Inslee that took effect Jan. 1 are already causing fuel prices in Washington to rise, says state Sen. Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville.
Schoesler, who represents eastern Washington’s 9th Legislative District, said he was notified by the Washington Independent Energy Distributors Association. that wholesale gasoline and diesel prices have risen in Washington as a result of the “cap-and-tax” law and the law creating a low-carbon fuel standard. Both laws were passed by the Legislature in 2021 but did not take effect until now.
Schoesler said wholesale fuel numbers he saw this week revealed gasoline prices had increased by 33.06 cents a gallon due to the “cap-and-tax” law and by 1.54 cents per gallon because of the low-carbon fuel standard. Meanwhile, the wholesale price of a gallon of diesel rose by 42.35 cents as a result of cap-and-tax and by 1.46 cents due to LCFS. Schoesler noted heating-fuel prices also have sharply increased in recent days, with more than two months of winter ahead.
“The wholesale fuel prices that I saw clearly show that ‘cap-and-tax’ and the low-carbon fuel standard are forcing fuel prices to increase at eastern Washington gas stations, and western Washington gas stations likely will see a similar hike. This contradicts claims by the governor and some of his allies that ‘cap-and-tax’ and LCFS will cause fuel prices to go up by only a few cents a gallon.
“Ever since these two laws were passed by the Democrats and signed by the governor, I’ve warned that they will force fuel prices to significantly increase. Now that these laws have gone into effect, we’re seeing that they indeed are causing hikes in fuel and heating-oil prices. This will hurt nearly everyone – commuters, parents taking their kids places, truckers and delivery drivers, and those working in agriculture. These increases will act like a gas-tax hike, but with no guaranteed benefits for our roads and highways.”
State Sen. Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, issued this statement in response to news that former Washington State University head football coach Mike Leach died Monday night in a Mississippi hospital following a massive heart attack.
“I had the privilege of meeting Mike Leach when he was the head coach at WSU. He was a great character in the world of college football and one of its most innovative and creative offensive minds. During his years as WSU’s head coach, his ‘Air Raid’ offense not only piled up yardage but it was very entertaining to watch. His success along the sideline was matched by his outspoken nature whenever he gave interviews. During his eight seasons in Pullman, he made the Cougars relevant. This is a sad day for Cougar Nation and college football fans. My thoughts and condolences go to his family, his current and former players and current and former assistant coaches.”
Leach was Washington State’s head coach from 2012 through 2019. During his eight seasons in Pullman, he led the Cougars to a 55-47 record. His most successful season was in 2018, when WSU finished with an 11-2 record and a win in the Alamo Bowl.
Leach left WSU and became the head coach at Mississippi State in 2020. In his three seasons at MSU, he compiled a 19-17 record. Prior to becoming Washington State’s coach, Leach coached 10 seasons at Texas Tech, where he had an 84-43 mark.
Schoesler is the state senator for the 9th Legislative District, which includes Pullman, where WSU’s main campus is located.
State government, including the Legislature, needs to do more to help combat the increase in retail crime in Washington, says 9th District state Sen. Mark Schoesler.
“While we’ve seen a spike in many areas of crime, retail theft and other retail crimes are especially a problem,” said Schoesler, R-Ritzville. “Retail crimes hurt not only stores and shops, but also consumers because these crimes force retailers to raise prices. The Legislature, the governor and the attorney general need to take action to greatly reduce retail crime in Washington.”
From 2019 to 2020, the value of goods stolen from Washington stores more than doubled. The Washington Retail Association estimates organized crime groups stole $2.7 billion from retailers in 2021.
“Retailers have been forced to endure an increase in crimes occurring on their property, including theft and fraud,” said Schoesler, R-Ritzville. “Organized retail-theft rings have become more brazen, violent and sophisticated in targeting stores. They are putting the safety of customers and store employees in danger. Also, they’re often involved in other crimes within communities, including human trafficking, money laundering and narcotics. These theft rings go after not only stores and shops in big cities but also those in small towns. It’s a growing problem in many parts of our state and the U.S.”
Schoesler, a member of the Senate Labor, Commerce and Tribal Affairs Committee, said the Washington Retail Association recently released a resource guide on how to deal with retail crimes.
“Retail crimes, especially theft, have become so much worse in recent years that the Washington Retail Association just released a retail-crimes resource guide for its members,” added Schoesler. “To me, that says the state isn’t providing enough help for retailers and local and state law enforcement agencies don’t have enough officers to effectively combat retail theft.”
The Senate Labor, Commerce and Tribal Affairs Committee last week held a work session on retail crimes.
“The work session was a sign that organized retail crime is on the Legislature’s radar screen, but we need to make it a high priority when the legislative session starts in January,” said Schoesler.
A national report on the impact of organized retail crime showed that Washington retailers lost just over $2.7 billion worth of goods and products due to theft in 2021, and that the per capita amount of stolen items in the state is $376.61, which ranks Washington second in the nation, only behind Pennsylvania ($436.25).
According to the 2021 state crime report released by the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs, 23,323 shoplifting cases were reported last year.
According to respondents to a 2022 retail security survey conducted by the National Retail Federation, Loss Prevention Research Council and Appriss Retail, organized retail-crime incidents have increased by 26.5%. The same survey reported that more than 81% of participating retailers said organized retail-crime offenders are somewhat or much more violent compared with one year ago.
In 2021, Seattle ranked eighth among large cities affected by organized retail crime.
The statewide transportation package passed primarily by Puget Sound-area Democrats in March is now fully subsidizing public-transit and state-ferry travel in some parts of the state for anyone 18 or younger. An eastern Washington legislator, 9th District Sen. Mark Schoesler, says the free-rider program discriminates against kids in rural Washington.
“Unfortunately, this is another example of how the Democratic majority preaches about ‘equity’ without truly practicing it,” said Schoesler, R-Ritzville. “They had to know offering free transit and ferry rides would benefit primarily kids in populous areas, rather than kids in rural counties, even though rural families help pick up the tab.”
Eight Puget Sound-area public-transit agencies began offering free youth fares last week. Other agencies statewide that implement a zero-fare program for riders 18 and under by Oct. 1 will also receive subsidies in the form of grants under the so-called Move Ahead Washington transportation package.
Schoesler also said most Washington motorists won’t be able to benefit from maintenance projects that are underway on parts of Interstate 5, I-405, I-90 and several state highways in King, Snohomish, Skagit and Whatcom counties, even though they are helping to pay for the projects through the Move Ahead Washington package and the “cap-and-tax” legislation approved by Democratic majorities in the Legislature.
“I know the Puget Sound counties have important highway maintenance needs, but so do other parts of our state. I’d like to see the Department of Transportation be as committed to completing highway projects in eastern Washington as it is for the Puget Sound region. We pay taxes and fees, too,” said Schoesler.
“Governor Inslee has been playing up the free transit rides to kids and the Puget Sound-area highway projects. Instead of focusing on programs and projects that mainly help out his supporters, the governor should focus more on the transportation needs of the entire state,” added Schoesler.
Sen. Mark Schoesler opposes a suggestion by Washington’s highest-ranking elected education official that the state should cancel the testing of student learning levels.
During last week’s Washington State Board of Education meeting in Spokane, state Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal said that using tests to assess the true level of learning students are receiving “means nothing” and that, if he decides he has the authority, he plans to cancel state testing of public K-12 students.
At about the 1:00:57 mark of this TVW video of last week’s meeting, Reykdal said, “I am trying to figure out if I have the authority to exit us (from testing) on my own, or if that needs something else.”
Schoesler, who represents eastern Washington’s 9th Legislative District and is the father of a public-school teacher, criticized Reykdal for wanting to pull the plug on state testing of students to assess how much they have learned.
“In just over the past two years, student learning in Washington has been severely disrupted due to COVID-19, which caused so many of our students to fall behind,” said Schoesler, R-Ritzville. “And now Superintendent Reykdal, the top elected education official in our state, wants to cancel state testing of students? The Legislature should decide on whether to keep such testing in place. Getting rid of these tests would be a disservice to students and parents. We need student assessment of learning more than ever to see how students are doing and where they need to improve.”
Schoesler said one of Reykdal’s reasons for eliminating state testing of students, that colleges don’t look at them in admitting students, is wrong.
“Contrary to what SPI Reykdal suggests, our state has never implemented assessment tests so that colleges can see how students are doing. These tests have been conducted so that we have objective measures for reading, writing and math. How can we know if Washington students can read, write and do math at their grade level if we don’t assess them? Parents and taxpayers deserve to know if their children can read, write and do math at grade level, as well as how their children and their schools compare with other students and schools. If we eliminate these state tests, how else will we assess how well students are learning?”
This link, provided by the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, shows the state and federal tests that Washington K-12 public school students take.
Schoesler leery of SPI’s new plan to reduce timber revenue for school construction
Schoesler also voiced concerns with Reykdal’s new plan, announced today, to reallocate funding from the state’s K-12 Common School Trust, which is partially funded by timber revenues to help fund construction of public schools in Washington. During a news conference today, Reykdal said timber revenue from timber harvests in rural communities would stay in those communities.
“While I appreciate Superintendent Reykdal’s concern about long-term funding of school construction projects in Washington communities, I’m concerned how it would impact rural school districts, as well as some urban districts” said Schoesler, the Senate Republican leader on the Senate capital budget. “It is important to know that some rural areas, such as Franklin County, have no timber harvests. Pasco, located in Franklin County, has been one of the fastest-growing school districts in the state. Statewide, timber harvests have decreased 50%, which has really hurt small towns.
“What I wanted was for our state’s schools superintendent to show how his agency would spearhead more efficiencies with school construction projects in our state so taxpayers can receive the most value for their tax dollars. Besides efficiencies, we should harvest more timber from state lands. Unfortunately, Superintendent Reykdal once again is not sufficiently addressing our concerns about seismic and tsunami problems facing some school districts,” added Schoesler.
Sen. Mark Schoesler has been recognized for his efforts to help Washington small businesses.
The National Federation of Independent Business announced yesterday that the longtime 9th District legislator has earned the group’s Guardian of Small Business award. The letter from NFIB Washington State Director Patrick Connor to Schoesler informing him of the honor can be viewed here.
“I’m very honored to receive this award from NFIB for my long support of small businesses,” said Schoesler, R-Ritzville. “These businesses have long been the backbone of Washington’s economy, so it’s important for our state to create and maintain a business climate that allows them to grow and prosper, especially at a time when our state is struggling with record inflation and ongoing supply-chain problems.”
Schoesler has served the 9th Legislative District since 1992 when he was first elected to the House of Representatives. Schoesler was elected to the Senate in 2004.
He currently serves on the Senate Labor, Commerce and Tribal Affairs Committee, which focuses on business issues in the state.