OLYMPIA… The state Senate’s majority Democrats today moved Washington closer to the largest set of tax increases in state history, sending the first wave of this year’s Democrat tax hikes to Gov. Bob Ferguson. The three major tax bills receiving final legislative approval from majority Democrats are: a sales-tax increase...

OLYMPIA… Today the Senate majority approved a sales-tax increase that will hit lower- and middle-income families harder, a tax increase that will drive capital out of Washington, and a collection of unrelated tax increases that includes a new tax on self-storage rentals. Sen. Chris Gildon of Puyallup, Senate Republican budget...

OLYMPIA… The Republican senators who crafted the no-new-taxes “$ave Washington” operating budget say they agree with Gov. Bob Ferguson’s view that the $12 billion package of tax increases proposed by Senate Democrats this week is too large. From Sen. Chris Gildon of Puyallup, who is Senate Republican budget leader: “We...

  Click here to view this week’s report from the legislative session. Dear Friends and Neighbors, My video report focuses on two of the taxes being proposed by Senate Democrats that would cause the most harm to the budgets of families in the 25th District and statewide. One is a...

OLYMPIA… The senators behind the no-new-taxes, no-cuts operating “$ave Washington” budget proposed by Senate Republicans offered this reaction to comments made today by Gov. Bob Ferguson about the operating budgets adopted by the Senate and House of Representatives in the past few days. From Sen. Chris Gildon of Puyallup, who...

OLYMPIA… An $845 million decrease in this year’s initial forecast of state revenue gives legislators more reason to keep a lid on new spending and say no to new and higher taxes, says Sen. Chris Gildon, Senate Republican budget leader. Today’s forecast will be used by legislative budget writers to...

OLYMPIA… Sen. Chris Gildon, R-Puyallup and budget leader for Senate Republicans, said he appreciates the spending-reduction ideas offered by Gov. Bob Ferguson today and offered this statement in response: “The governor has vowed to come up with spending reductions, and I appreciate that he has delivered these savings ideas less...

The Good, the Interesting, and the Controversial Dear Friends and Neighbors, I know from talking with constituents how they are sometimes surprised by the sheer number and range of ideas that become legislation, for better or worse. Even when people don’t pay close attention to what happens in Olympia, a...

OLYMPIA… The state’s failure to deal with water contamination at the Special Commitment Center for sex offenders on McNeil Island has led to a $7.325 million judgment in a class-action lawsuit brought by hundreds of residents of the center. Sen. Chris Gildon, R-Puyallup, says this is the latest in a...