Washington State Senate Republican Leader Mark Schoesler issued the following statement regarding the death of former U.S. House Speaker Tom Foley:

“My prayers go out to Speaker Foley’s wife, Heather, and the rest of his family as they deal with this loss.

“As a Republican, I obviously didn’t agree with Speaker Foley on every issue, but what endeared him to many was the way he treated people with kindness and respect. I always appreciated the way he graciously treated me when I met him as a 4-H student visiting my congressman. That consideration extended to his staff, which was one of the most professional, top-notch staffs I have ever worked with.

“He will be sorely missed.”

Sen. Mark Schoesler has been honored for his critical part in effectively freezing tuition at state-run colleges and blocking the return of a farm-related tax not seen in decades.

Schoesler, who has represented WSU’s main campus since 1993, received the Champion of Higher Education award from Washington State University’s associated student body. The Washington Auctioneers Association selected the veteran 9th District lawmaker for its Legislator of the Year award. Continue reading →

Residents of the 9th Legislative District who want to talk about transportation with leaders of the state Senate have two opportunities coming up: Thursday evening in Pasco and Oct. 2 in Spokane Valley.

Sen. Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, said Thursday’s meeting will be from 6 to 9 p.m. in the Gjerde Center at Columbia Basin College, 2600 N. 20th Avenue, Pasco.

The following Wednesday’s Spokane-area meeting will also be from 6 to 9 p.m. in the theater at Central Valley High School, which is at 821 S. Sullivan Road in Spokane Valley. Continue reading →

Sen. Mark Schoesler, who as leader of the state’s Republican senators had a central role in Washington’s historic 2013 legislative session, was named winner of the 2013 Jim Matson Award by the Association of Washington Business on Wednesday during its annual policy summit in Cle Elum.

Schoesler and Sen. Rodney Tom, D-Bellevue, who teamed up to lead the Senate this year, will share the AWB’s highest honor. It’s named for the late Sen. Jim Matson, a Republican from Selah who served on the association’s executive committee during the 1970s and 1980s, and recognizes a state legislator who consistently supports issues important to Washington’s employers.

Schoesler, R-Ritzville, offered this reaction:

“This honor belongs to all of the Senate Republicans who selflessly put policy ahead of politics and shared the responsibility of governing to the point that members of the Democrat minority accepted our invitation to lead committees. In doing so we proved Olympia doesn’t have to be like the ‘other Washington’ – at our Capitol it’s possible for Republicans and Democrats to join forces and make decisions that are encouraging to employers, smart for students and considerate of taxpayers. We also showed that temporary tax increases can indeed be ‘temporary,’ which is important if the Legislature is to earn the people’s trust and confidence down the road.

“The fact that our Senate majority was out in front when it comes to jobs, education and smart budgeting – and is now leading the way on transportation – is reward enough. I certainly never expected to be put in the same league as Jim Matson, who was renowned for his support of business. As a farmer who makes business decisions every day and as a legislator who understands the value of having a strong private sector, being recognized by the Association of Washington Business is particularly special.”

Sen. Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville and Senate Republican leader, offered this reaction to this morning’s public statements by Gov. Jay Inslee and King County Executive Dow Constantine concerning Washington’s transportation system:

“If the governor wants a new transportation package as badly as it sounds, he should stop making accusations about why the Legislature didn’t approve something in June and instead try to learn why people across our state – such as those I serve – would be averse to paying more in gas tax. Maybe Governor Inslee has yet to meet a tax increase he wouldn’t support, but in many parts of the state people have to drive significant distances to work or for other activities, which means more fuel and therefore more tax. None of us wants to pump new dollars into the state transportation department if we’re not going to see a clear benefit – or if it’s just going to be wasted through more mistakes on big-ticket projects, as we’ve seen with the replacement of the State Route 520 bridge.

“The governor has acknowledged we need to rethink how we do the business of transportation. I’ll be ready to talk with him about specific reforms after we go around the state, starting later this month, and talk with the people; let’s get a firm sense of what they expect from Washington’s transportation system and how they’d prefer to provide for it.”

Today the Legislature received word that Boeing Co. intends to move 375 Washington-based engineering jobs to California. This comes on top of the firm’s announcement earlier this year that 300 engineers would be moved to positions outside Washington. Following Boeing’s announcement Sen. Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, offered this assessment.

“Boeing’s leaders have made it increasingly clear that if our state’s business climate doesn’t improve we can expect more headlines of this type. Between that and the other clues we’ve seen lately I’ve got to believe Boeing has concluded it will run into fewer labor disputes in California. One would hope the governor knows the reason behind today’s disappointing news – if it isn’t related to labor contracts, and has to do instead with something the Legislature can address, he should convey that to those of us who are in a position to respond.

“If you want to talk about family-wage jobs, engineering positions at Boeing – which in our state carry average annual salaries of more than $100,000 – are exactly what’s on the line. We live in an increasingly global and competitive world; other states and countries know how valuable the industry is and that’s why they’re taking steps to try to lure Boeing away from our state.

“The bottom line is that our state’s economy will not recover until more jobs are created, and since the governor took office it sure seems the aerospace industries in other states are benefiting at Washington’s expense. Standing by and allowing these sorts of jobs to move away should not be an option. I remain ready to work with the governor and elected officials at all levels, from both sides of the aisle, to make sure Washington is a place where employers want to do business.”

Sen. Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville and Senate Republican leader, today offered this remembrance of former state Rep. Kip Tokuda, who passed away Saturday at age 66 after suffering a heart attack while fishing. Tokuda, a Seattle Democrat, served in the House of Representatives from the 37th Legislative District; his four terms (1995-2003) overlapped with Schoesler’s six terms as a state representative from the 9th District (1993-2005).

“Kip was a genuine, really good and kind person. On the personal side, he reached out and made friends with rural legislators such as me, Jim Buck (former state representative from the Olympic Peninsula) and Mark Doumit (former representative and senator from Washington’s south coast). On the policy side, Kip served with me on the House Corrections Committee when we put together and passed the comprehensive legislation that made a major overhaul of our correctional system; I also remember how he found common ground with Representative Buck on ways to serve people with developmental disabilities.

“Kip was a compassionate, high-quality guy. I remember being disappointed when he announced he wouldn’t seek another term – but he had other things he wanted to pursue. I’m glad we became friends and sorry that he has passed.”