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...

January 16, 2025 New year, new session… and a new responsibility Dear Friends and Neighbors, Let me begin by wishing you a belated Happy New Year! This is my first legislative update in a number of months as I was subject to a communications “freeze” during the campaign season. Over...

OLYMPIA… The budget leader for Senate Republicans says the $7.5 billion spending increase in the tax-heavy operating budget proposal unveiled by outgoing Gov. Jay Inslee today shows exactly why state lawmakers are facing a multibillion-dollar deficit. Sen. Chris Gildon, R-Puyallup, is the new Republican leader on the Senate Ways and...

OLYMPIA… Sen. Chris Gildon will lead Republicans on the Senate Ways and Means Committee for the 2025-26 legislative term. The Puyallup lawmaker had been assistant Republican leader on the budget committee for the past two years. Lawmakers must pass three biennial budgets during their 2025 session, which will begin Jan....

The following op-ed was published in the The (Tacoma) News Tribune April 5, 2024. Opinion By Sen. Chris Gildon Did the Washington Legislature just pass a ban on natural gas that will force about 900,000 Puget Sound area customers to convert from gas to electric? That is the topic of...