Tag Archives: Gov. Jay Inslee
9th District Sen. Mark Schoesler talks about the first week of the 2024 legislative session in Olympia, including his thoughts on Gov. Inslee’s state of the state speech and problems existing in Washington, including education, affordability and public safety.
State Sen. Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, issued this statement after Democratic majorities in the Legislature passed House Bill 1240, which would ban the sale of semi-automatic weapons in Washington, and House Bill 1143, which would prohibit someone from buying a firearm from a dealer unless the buyer has passed a background check and has completed a firearm-safety program.
“The rights of law-abiding people to buy and use firearms in in our state took a major step backward with the passage of these two bills by legislative Democrats. Banning specific weapons and requiring people to undergo background checks and take training programs won’t stop certain people who don’t care about laws yet are determined to shoot others.
“House Bill 1240 is written so the ban goes into effect once Governor Inslee signs it – which also means the people cannot challenge it through a referendum. I expect a lawsuit will be filed that eventually puts this before the U.S. Supreme Court — which will probably strike it down as unconstitutional.
“What is especially inconsistent and ironic about the Democrats’ approach to gun violence in our state is that they have approved proposals that would deny law-abiding people to buy certain weapons, yet House Democrats passed a bill that would have decriminalized the illegal use of firearms by repeat offenders. Fortunately, that bill died before reaching the Senate floor. If Democrats really care about gun violence as much as they claim, they need to ensure that crimes committed with a firearm receive stronger punishment, not weaker punishment, as I have proposed.”
Schoesler serves the 9th Legislative District.
HB 1240 and HB 1143 have been sent to Gov. Jay Inslee for his expected signatures.
The 2023 legislative session is scheduled to end Sunday.
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.”
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.
Following last week’s announcement that state government is projected to collect $1.46 billion in tax revenue this biennium beyond what was already expected, 9th District Sen. Mark Schoesler is calling on Gov. Jay Inslee to bring the Legislature back to Olympia for a special session to pass a bill creating a state sales-tax suspension for Washingtonians who are struggling because of ongoing historic inflation.
“If Governor Inslee and Democratic leaders in Congress like Speaker Pelosi and Senator Schumer think a gas-tax holiday is a bad idea, let’s focus on suspending the state sales tax for Washingtonians,” said Schoesler, R-Ritzville. “It’s a fast and simple solution to help consumers in our state who are battling record inflation, and it would address what many people call a regressive tax. If the governor likes gas prices as high as they are, let’s offer tax relief in a different way. And let’s do it soon.”
Schoesler said a state sales-tax suspension is an idea supported by at least one Democratic state senator, as well as the Washington Policy Center.
Schoesler said a state sales-tax freeze would be especially good for border communities like Spokane, Pullman, Clarkston, Goldendale and Vancouver. Businesses suffer when residents in those cities cross the border to buy goods and products in Idaho and Oregon, which don’t have a state sales tax.
“Let’s drop the state sales tax by a percentage point,” said Schoesler. “Hopefully, we can do it permanently. If not, we could at least continue a sales-tax suspension until the Legislature decides that inflation is no longer a burden on Washington families and individuals.”
Schoesler pointed to a comment made last week by Dr. Steve Lerch, director of the state Economic and Revenue Forecast Council: “Continued strong revenue collections and high inflation have again resulted in increases in the revenue forecast.”
“What his comment means is that our state is basically making even more money in taxes due to higher prices caused by inflation,” said Schoesler. “It’s wrong and immoral for the state to more or less make a profit off the backs of taxpayers due to record inflation. Our governor needs to realize this and finally support tax relief for Washingtonians instead of treating them like an ATM for his spending agenda.”
Schoesler first called for Inslee and the Legislature to provide tax relief for Washingtonians last December after consumers throughout the U.S. were forced to pay higher prices on many items in 2021, including food, energy, new automobiles, medical care and shelter.
“Whatever salary increases people have received in the past year or two, that extra earning power has been more than wiped out by the staggering inflation we’ve all had to endure. This has made it harder for families and individuals to make ends meet. It’s time for Olympia to address it.”
Schoesler serves on the Senate Ways and Means Committee, which addresses budget and tax issues.
Today marks the start of the third year of Gov. Jay Inslee’s COVID-19 state of emergency. To 9th District Sen. Mark Schoesler, it’s a frustrating reminder that Washington was not meant to be controlled by one person for so long.
“No governor in our nation has exercised emergency powers as long as Jay Inslee since the COVID pandemic began more than two years ago, and people throughout Washington have had enough,” said Schoesler, R-Ritzville. “His various mandates, especially requiring state employees under his control to be vaccinated against COVID or lose their job, have harmed people’s trust in our state government. People are tired of one-man rule in Washington.”
Schoesler said the two-year anniversary of Inslee’s emergency declaration is a strong reminder that the Legislature needs to pass meaningful reform of the state’s emergency-powers law. The only changes supported by majority Democrats this session would have little practical effect.
“My Republican colleagues and I think that all emergency proclamations made by a Washington governor should have a time limit, and be extended only if the Legislature agrees. It’s time to restore the balance of power in Washington so that the legislative branch can have a say in all emergency orders – including the proclamations that really control people’s lives. We’ve seen other states already do this because their governors and legislatures trust their citizens. We need to do the same thing here in Washington.”
Inslee recently announced that he is relaxing the indoor mask mandate in Washington starting March 12.
Following today’s national inflation news that shows prices are 6.8% higher than a year ago, the highest inflation increase since June 1982, 9th District state Sen. Mark Schoesler is calling for Gov. Jay Inslee and legislative Democrats to offer tax relief to Washingtonians to help offset the financial struggles caused by inflation.
“Consumers throughout the U.S. have had to pay higher prices on many items over the past year,” said Schoesler, R-Ritzville. “Food prices have risen 6.1 percent, energy prices have skyrocketed 33 percent, new vehicles are 11.1 percent higher, medical care is 2.1 percent higher and shelter is up nearly 4 percent. While salaries have risen for many, they haven’t come close to keeping up with rising inflation, and it’s making it harder for families and individuals to make ends meet. At a time when the state has a huge surplus, now is the time for the governor and the Legislature to provide tax relief to hard-working people who are struggling because of inflation.”
Inslee is expected to unveil his state supplemental operating budget proposal next week.
Schoesler serves on the Senate Ways and Means Committee, which addresses budget and tax issues.
The 2022 legislative session begins Jan. 10 and is scheduled to last 60 days.