Tag Archives: Email Updates

2020 session update: another policy cutoff, budget proposals, and controversial bills

Believe it or not, this short 60-day session is scheduled to adjourn a week from tomorrow. We’ve now passed some additional policy cutoff deadlines, hundreds of bills have passed back and forth between the House and the Senate, and we’ve seen dozens of interesting pieces of legislation throughout this process. I want to recap some of the highlights in this update.

But first, as always, I want to say thank you for sharing your input with me throughout this session. It plays a key role in my efforts in the Legislature and how I go about my work. So, thank you for making your voice heard.

Policy Cutoff

As a refresher, we have two types of committees in the Legislature and each has slightly different deadlines. Policy committees hear and consider bills that may or may not have an associated cost. The job of the policy committee is to determine value based solely on the merits of the policy. Fiscal committees hear and consider bills and make determination based on both merit and cost.

The normal flow of a bill is to pass through a policy committee thus validating its merit as good policy and then move to a fiscal committee to determine if the cost of the policy merits further consideration by the entire House or Senate.

Last Thursday was the last day for a bill to pass a policy committee and fiscal committees had until Monday, March 2 to pass their bills. The next deadline is Friday, March 6, at 5 p.m. for the House to pass Senate bills and the Senate to pass House bills.

Of course, there are always exceptions for items such as bills necessary to implement the state budget.

Controversial Bills

We’ve been very busy this week with floor action, and next week will be much of the same with long hours and late nights likely in both chambers. We’ve already considered numerous pieces of legislation, but there are still some very controversial bills up for consideration. We expect to have lengthy debates on all of these.

Comprehensive Sex Education – Senate Bill 5395 would require every public school to provide comprehensive sexual health education to each student by the 2022-23 school year. Proponents of the bill claim this education is proven to reduce STDs, unwanted pregnancies, and delays the time youth begin engaging in sexual activity. Those opposed to the bill claim children do not mature at the same time and that this subject matter is better left to parents to teach their children when and how the parent believes it is in the best interest of the child. They do not believe it is an appropriate intervention of the state or the schools.

High Capacity Gun Magazine Limits – House Bill 2947 would do a number of things, including making it unlawful for a person to manufacture, possess, distribute, import, transfer, sell, offer for sale, purchase, or otherwise transfer a large capacity magazine, except as specifically authorized. Proponents claim it is part of a holistic course of legislation to reduce gun violence. Opponents claim it is an infringement on their Second Amendment rights and that it will actually have no positive effect in saving lives.

Revoking the Death Penalty – Senate Bill 5339 would remove the death penalty as a possible sentence in the state of Washington. Advocates say this punishment is cruel and unusual. They also cite a Supreme Court ruling that basically makes it impossible to implement. Advocates say it is a necessary and proper tool that can be used as a deterrent to crime. They also say it is useful as a plea-bargaining tool that could lead to additional confessions or admissions of guilt to avoid a death sentence.

$30 Car Tabs – Another topic that has received a lot of attention since I-976 passed in November, is the implementation of $30 car tabs. Although this issue is no longer up for debate this session, it is worth noting that despite several pieces of legislation introduced by House and Senate Republicans, most of these bills did not even receive a hearing in committee.

Transportation and Operating Budget Updates

House Bill 2946 was the Republican version of the operating budget. It fully funded Governor Inslee’s budget and would have given Washington working families $1 billion in tax relief and implemented $30 car tabs. It was flatly rejected along party lines.

Please enjoy this short video where I discuss these in a little more detail.

And speaking of transportation projects, please watch this video to learn about some of the road construction projects to ease congestion in Puyallup.

Sorry We Missed You

I’d like to apologize for the scheduling error we made for our in-district visits a couple of weeks ago. We sincerely regret the confusion and hope we didn’t cause too much inconvenience for anyone. If you’d still like to share any ideas, questions, and concerns with me, I hope you’ll reach out. I’d be happy to speak with you personally.

We’d also like to thank you for participating in the telephone town hall meeting we held earlier this week. We enjoyed speaking with you and appreciate your questions and comments.

In addition, there will be another opportunity to meet with me and my fellow 25th District legislators, Rep. Kelly Chambers and Sen. Hans Zeiger, very soon. We’re holding an in-person town hall meeting, Saturday, March 14, 2020. We hope to see you there, and we look forward to reviewing this session with you and answering more of your questions.

However, we are completely aware of the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) issue. If you’re sick or you’re concerned about being in a large public group, please stay home. Your health and the public’s safety is of the utmost importance.

Town Hall Details

Puyallup Activity Center
210 West Pioneer
Puyallup, WA 98371
Saturday, March 14, 2020, 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Shout Out to the Daffodil Princesses

I’d also like to recognize the state’s Daffodil Princesses, who visited Olympia last week. The 2020 Daffodil Royal Court joined us in the state Capitol and shared their beautiful smiles and inspiring aspirations. The entire court will be on hand for the 87th Annual Daffodil Parade in Puyallup on Saturday, April 4, 2020.

Rep. Gildon, Rep. Chambers, and Sen. Zeiger with Daffodil Princesses – Feb. 24, 2020

Don’t Miss Anything Happening in Olympia

Here are some great resources to keep you updated on the 2020 session:

  • RepresentativeChrisGildon.com: Here you can find all my news releases, email updates, and the bills I have sponsored.
  • The Washington State Ledger: This is the House Republican Caucus’s latest tool to keep you in tune with everything going on in Olympia and throughout the entire state.
  • Capitol Buzz: Here you can find headlines and stories from media outlets throughout the state, including newspaper, radio, television.
  • Legislature’s website: You can also track legislation, get bill reports, and comment on bills of interest as well as view committee agendas and information about upcoming activities in the Legislature.
  • TVW: Tune into TVW, Washington’s own version of C-SPAN. You can even catch floor and committee action live.

Continue to Reach out to Me

Even though, we only have a week left this session, there’s still time to meet with me. I always appreciate hearing from you. If you’d like to get in touch, please contact my office at (360) 786-7968 or email me at Chris.Gildon@leg.wa.gov.

It’s an honor serving you.

Come meet with us in the 25th District this weekend. Details below.

Can you believe the 2020 session is already more than halfway finished? We only have three weeks left to get bills through both chambers and to the governor’s desk. Wednesday is the last day to consider bills in their house of origin. Each bill has to pass through both the House and Senate. So, any that have not already passed one of those chambers will have to wait for at least another year.

Lowering the Cost of Prescription Drugs

Speaking of passing bills, I’m happy to share with you that one of my priority bills, House Bill 2464, unanimously passed the House this week and moved onto the Senate. This bill seeks to protect patients from excess costs of prescription medications by requiring pharmacists to charge the lesser of the patient’s insurance co-payment or the cash price.

Many times, the cash price is actually less than the insurance co-payment price. Sometimes this difference can be significant, up to $70 per prescription. And it happens far too often.

Lowering prescription medication prices can make a big difference for many of our friends and neighbors who are struggling to get by. This bill could give them some much needed relief.

B&O Surcharge Tax

Unfortunately, while that bill would help Washingtonians, the majority party has already passed another bill that will do the opposite. Senate Bill 6492 is another tax increase and was the first bill signed into law this session after it quickly moved through both chambers of the Legislature.

This bill was needed to “fix” some of the issues of House Bill 2158, that the majority party passed last year, which increased taxes by about $900 million on service-related businesses in order to fund higher education for low-income families.

However, that bill didn’t raise enough money to meet the demand. So, they passed the new bill this year to expand that tax to more than 4,400 additional businesses across the state. Ultimately, this is another tax that will hurt businesses and families. I introduced a piece of legislation that would help make higher education more affordable by providing tax incentives to businesses, but it was not adopted. Click on the image below to watch my latest video update to learn more.

In-District Visits This Weekend

Lastly, I want to remind you to continue to reach out to me and share your input. I know many of you are unable to come to Olympia and meet with me in person. As your elected public servant, I believe it’s important to hear from all who want to share their ideas and concerns. So, please join me this weekend, with my fellow lawmakers from the 25th District, Rep. Kelly Chambers and Sen. Hans Zeiger, for an in-district office visit.

Rep. Gildon, Rep. Chambers, and Sen. Zeiger, January 2020.

See details below and click on the links for available appointment times. We look forward to seeing you.

Meridian Café
213 N. Meridian, Puyallup, WA 98371
Saturday, Feb. 22, 2020, 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
https://doodle.com/poll/dcy87d59dtat2rwm

Cool Bean Espresso
14201 Meridian E., Puyallup, WA 98373
Saturday, Feb. 22, 2020. 12:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
https://doodle.com/poll/7q8qmc3s44rap4a4

If you’d like to set up a meeting at another time, or, if all our meeting times on Feb. 22 fill up, please call my office at 360-786-7968 and we will be happy to schedule a time.

Stay up to date with Olympia

Here are some great resources to keep updated on the 2020 session:

  • RepresentativeChrisGildon.com: Here you can find all my news releases, email updates, and the bills I have sponsored.
  • The Washington State Ledger: This is the House Republican Caucus’s latest tool to keep you in tune with everything going on in Olympia and throughout the entire state.
  • Capitol Buzz: Here you can find headlines and stories from media outlets throughout the state, including newspaper, radio, television.
  • Legislature’s website: You can also track legislation, get bill reports, and comment on bills of interest as well as view committee agendas and information about upcoming activities in the Legislature.
  • TVW: Tune into TVW, Washington’s own version of C-SPAN. You can even catch floor and committee action live.

It’s an honor serving you.

Survey results are in!

We’re now four weeks into the 2020 legislative session. Friday will be policy cut-off, which means lawmakers have been busy introducing, hearing, and passing legislation. To date, we’ve seen nearly 1,400 new bills introduced in the House and Senate.

Before we get into some of the policies and issues, we want to share the long-awaited results of our mail-in survey.

Survey Results: Your Voice Matters

Our staff members spent many hours going through each one of the surveys you returned to tally the results. We asked you several important questions and you made your opinions very clear. Here is a synopsis and I’m glad to share more details if you’re interested. Just send me an email request.

I clearly understand what your priorities are, and will work to meet your expectations.

Annual Policy Cut-Off Review: Good Bills, Interesting Bills, Controversial Bills

As mentioned above, legislators have introduced nearly 1,400 bills since the 2020 session began on Jan. 13. Of course, with so many bills, there’s plenty of material on a variety of topics. Here, I’d like to recap just a few.

The Good

  • House Bill 2227 and House Bill 2659 would establish and implement $30 car tabs.
  • House Bill 2479 would reaffirm the prohibition of a local income tax.
  • House Bill 2190 would eliminate “ghost bills” and increase legislative transparency.
  • House Bill 2323 would honor your will from I-976 and fully fund transportation projects without raising taxes.
  • House Bill 2464 would make prescription drugs more affordable.
  • House Bill 2465 would hold all elected prosecutors accountable by requiring them to submit an annual report on how they carried out their duties.

The Interesting

The Controversial

  • Gun rights – House Bill 2241 would ban “assault weapons,” House Bill 2467 would create a centralized background check system, House Bill 2519 would restrict access to ammunition, and House Bill 1374 would give local jurisdictions authority to regulate firearms.
  • Gas tax increases – House Bill 1110 would authorize a clean fuels program to reduce the carbon intensity of transportation fuels per unit, which could raise the cost of gas by .57 cents per gallon by 2030, and diesel by .63 cents per gallon by 2030. Despite bipartisan opposition, the bill passed out of the House 52-44. Additionally, a day later, House Bill 2913 was introduced, which would raise the gas tax an additional 9.7 cents.
  • Mandatory comprehensive sex education – House Bill 2184 would require comprehensive sexual health education in all public schools.
  • B&O tax to fund college scholarships – Senate Bill 6492 is a fix to the $900 million tax imposed last year to fund college scholarships. they didn’t charge enough and are now raising this tax despite your rejection of it in the Nov. advisory ballot.
  • Voting rights for felons – House Bill 1924 would restore voting rights to convicted felons.

What’s your take? I invite your comments and feedback on the issues.

Making Daycare More Affordable

Lastly, I want to share a video highlighting some work I’ve been doing to reduce the cost of childcare. I do hope you enjoy it; and a special thanks to all of the childcare providers who took the time to meet and collaborate with me.

Want to Know What’s Happening in Olympia?

Here are some great resources to stay in tune with the buzz from the 2020 session:

  • RepresentativeChrisGildon.com: Here you can find all my news releases, email updates, and the bills I have sponsored.
  • The Washington State Ledger: This is the House Republican Caucus’s latest tool to keep you in tune with everything going on in Olympia and throughout the entire state.
  • Capitol Buzz: Here you can find headlines and stories from media outlets throughout the state, including newspaper, radio, television.
  • Legislature’s website: You can also track legislation, get bill reports, and comment on bills of interest as well as view committee agendas and information about upcoming activities in the Legislature.
  • TVW: Tune into TVW, Washington’s own version of C-SPAN. You can even catch floor and committee action live.

Keep the Feedback Coming

We still have five weeks to go in this 60-day sprint and the action is about to pick up now that we’ve nearly reached the halfway point. There are numerous issues we still have to tackle, and countless hours of floor debate to come. I’ll continue to be your voice and do everything in my power to represent the people of the 25th District.

As always, if you’d like to connect with me, contact my office at (360) 786-7968 or email me at Chris.Gildon@leg.wa.gov. If you’re going to be in Olympia, then please contact my legislative assistant, Rachel Jo Elliott, to set up an in-person appointment.

It’s an honor serving you!

Working to make Washington more safe, more affordable, and more accountable

The 2020 legislative session is barely two weeks old, and Olympia is already in full swing with over 1,000 new bills being introduced. I’ve personally filed a number of bills that deal with affordability, accountability, and transparency, and I’m looking forward to working on bipartisan solutions that address the root causes of our common issues.

Before we get to those issues, I want to sincerely thank you for your input during the interim. I appreciated the phone calls, emails, one-on-one meetings, and your participation in our town hall meeting in December. I especially want to thank all those who have taken the time to return the mail-in survey sent by myself, Sen. Hans Zeiger, and Rep. Kelly Chambers.

Survey results pending: your voice matters

Speaking of that survey, we’ve received an overwhelming response. That tells us how much you care about our community and how our state government is operating. We’ve received such a huge response that we’re still tabulating and analyzing the results. In fact, our staff members have already put in countless hours recording your responses. We promise we’ll get you those results as soon as we can.

In the meantime, I want to talk about some other important issues I’ve been working on.

Accountability: House Bill 2465

According to a report titled, System Failure 2: Declines, Delays and Dismissals, the Seattle city prosecutor denied taking action on almost half of the cases presented by law enforcement in 2017. That number was just 17% in 2007. I’d really like to know why they declined to prosecute such a large percentage of cases. However, there is currently no way to get that information from these elected prosecutors.

This bill is fairly simple. It requires all elected prosecutors to submit an annual report stating, at minimum: the number of cases presented by law enforcement, the number of cases prosecuted, the number of cases dismissed without action, and a short narrative explanation of the prosecutors’ actions.

We’ve all heard of prosecutors refusing to go after people who have 3 grams or less of heroin or methamphetamine or refusing to prosecute those who shoplift less than $100. In no way do I want to interfere with their right to prosecutorial discretion, but I do want you to have the information necessary to determine whether or not you approve of their actions. That’s exactly the intent of this bill.

Affordability: House Bill 2464

This bill seeks to protect you from excess costs of prescription medications. I’ve spoken with so many of our neighbors who are struggling to make ends meet, and a big driver of that struggle is the cost of prescription medications. This bill would provide some relief by requiring pharmacists to charge the lesser of your insurance co-pay or the cash price.

Many times, the cash price is actually less than the insurance co-pay. Big pharma really doesn’t want you to know this, but I believe it’s important for you to get the best deal possible!

Please click on the image below to enjoy the video that goes a little more in depth on this, and an additional bill I’m working on.

Honoring your Vote: House Bill 2227

As you know, the initiative for $30 car tabs passed with 53% of the vote statewide and almost 72% in our district. The Republican Caucus heard you loud and clear! That’s why we just rolled out a plan to honor your vote while fully funding our transportation needs with existing resources. The plan is accomplished in three ways:

  1. Codify $30 car tabs. You spoke. The Legislature should listen. Despite the attempt by Seattle Democrats to sue the state and overturn your will, the Legislature should honor the voice of the people and codify a clean bill to implement $30 car tabs.

  2. Rebuild trust with Sound Transit. Much of the backlash that pushed I-976 over the finish line was due to the arrogance of Sound Transit in using inflated car valuations. We need to rebuild that trust. As such, Rep. Kelly Chambers, R-Puyallup, sponsored House Bill 1957 which seeks to have Sound Transit officials directly elected by the people, so they’re directly accountable to you.

  3. Fund transportation needs with the already-existing motor vehicle sales tax and reduce our reliance on dwindling gas tax revenues. Rep. Drew MacEwen, R-Union, introduced House Bill 1122, which would move us away from using the gas tax and car tabs to pay for road infrastructure, and instead, begin using revenue from taxes collected on the sale of motor vehicles. There is a clear nexus between the motor vehicle sales tax and road construction for those very same vehicles to drive on. Furthermore, this funding source is large enough to fully fund our needs without raising additional taxes.

Ways to Stay Informed

You can stay up to date on everything going on in Olympia this session, including the progress of the bills I’m working on. Here’s how:

  • The Washington State Ledger: This is the House Republican Caucus’s latest tool to keep you in tune with everything going on in Olympia and throughout the entire state.
  • Capitol Buzz: Here you can find headlines and stories from media outlets throughout the state, including newspaper, radio, television.

  • Legislature’s website: You can also track legislation, get bill reports, and comment on bills of interest as well as view committee agendas and information about upcoming activities in the Legislature.

  • TVW: Tune into TVW, Washington’s own version of C-Span. You can even catch floor and committee action live.

House Page Program still accepting applications

It’s not too late to be a part of the House Page Program during the 2020 legislative session. If you know a 14-to-16-year-old who would like to participate in this opportunity, click here to learn more. Pages get the chance to spend a week in Olympia to attend Page School, where they assist lawmakers and staff, and get an in-depth look at our state Legislature.

Keep the feedback coming

I always value your comments and opinions. So please feel free to contact me on issues of state level importance. Also, be sure to let me know if you’ll be in Olympia while we’re in session. I’d be glad to meet in person. You can reach my office at (360) 786-7968 or email me at Chris.Gildon@leg.wa.gov.

It’s an honor to serve you!

Rep. Gildon highlights district achievements, outlines legislative priorities as 2020 session approaches

As the leaves fall and winter approaches, it’s time to look ahead to the 2020 legislative session. My fellow state lawmakers and I will be discussing several key issues that are very important to the people of the 25th District and the state. But, before I share more about the legislative issues I’m working on, I want to give a big thank you to everyone who reached out to me during the interim to share your concerns. I also want to highlight some of the great things happening locally.

School Awards

Our communities have always been recognized for their great schools. Recently, some of these incredible schools have earned national recognition!

  • National Unified Champion School: The Special Olympics honors the efforts of only 394 schools nationwide with this award. Two of the five schools chosen in Washington are located right here in the 25th District. Congratulations to Puyallup and Fife high schools! Additionally, Fife had the honor of being named as one of the Top 5 National Banner Unified Champion Schools by ESPN/Special Olympics, making it one of the top schools in the entire country. Congratulations to both schools!

I am also very happy to say that we have five new schools currently being built in the Franklin Pierce School District, largely thanks to funds from the Legislature. These schools are set to be ready by the 2020-21 school year.

New Harvard Elementary

Finally, I’d like to thank the leadership of all our school districts. Their ingenuity and hard work are especially encouraging. And in many ways, such as the first-in-the-state all-electric school bus, we are leading the way!

Legislative Priorities

While education will continue to be a top priority for me in the 2020 legislative session, there are several other issues on which I’ll be focused. My overall legislative theme for 2020 could be summed up in one word: AFFORDABILITY.

I’ve spoken with too many of our friends and neighbors who are struggling to make ends meet and the high cost living seems insurmountable.

I want you to know that I’ve taken our conversations to heart and am now putting them into action with legislation. As such, I will be sponsoring and supporting legislation on the following topics this session:

  • Making childcare more affordable
  • Making housing more affordable
  • Making college more affordable
  • Making prescription drugs more affordable
  • Reducing government regulations

I will share more details on my proposals in a future update.

House Page Program

I also want to remind you of the ongoing House Page Program. Paging provides students ages 14-16 with a unique educational opportunity to participate in the legislative process. Being chosen as a page is a great honor. Applications are now open for the 2020 legislative session. Click here for more information and to apply. You’re also welcome to contact my office.

Town Hall Listening Session

Lastly, Rep. Kelly Chambers, Sen. Hans Zeiger, and I will be hosting a town hall listening session next month. We want to know what’s on your mind. This helps us make informed decisions in the Legislature. Please consider joining us. Details below:

WHEN: Thursday, Dec. 19, 5:30 – 7:00 p.m.
WHERE: Dacca Barn, 2820 54th Avenue East, Fife, WA 98424

We’ll be serving hot chocolate and some light snacks!

I Want to Hear from You

This will likely be my last email update before the 2020 session begins. My district office will be open through January 7. After that, my legislative assistant and I will transition to our Olympia office full time through the 2020 session. I’d love to hear from you and I care deeply about your opinions. So please reach out to me using the contact information below. Also, please let me know if you will be in Olympia while we’re in session. I would absolutely love to meet with you in person!

District Office: 101 South Meridian, Puyallup, WA 98371
District Phone: (253) 840-4523
Email: Chris.Gildon@leg.wa.gov

Let’s make Washington more safe, more affordable, and more accountable.

It’s an honor serving you!

Lawmakers return to Olympia for Committee Assembly Days

Summer is winding down, which means we’re getting closer to the Legislature reconvening for the 2020 legislative session in January. Though still a few months away, lawmakers are already beginning to prepare. Last week, legislators were back in Olympia for one of two Committee Assembly periods to take place in the next three months, during which committees met to discuss issues facing our state. I currently serve on four committees – College and Workforce Development; Housing, Community Development and Veterans; Capital Budget; Rules – and I look forward to tackling some of the issues these committees cover during the upcoming session.

Since the Legislature adjourned the 2019 session in April, I’ve been back home in the 25th District reconnecting with our communities. My travels have taken me all across our district, allowing me to meet with various groups and organizations, and community leaders who, like me, have chosen a career in service.

I’ve also had the opportunity to tour a number of facilities throughout the state, including a home for supported living, a center for sexual assault survivors, and the Washington State Soldiers Home in Orting.

Representative Kelly Chambers and I were recently given the opportunity to tour the Port of Tacoma, which has a tremendous impact on our local economy and generates more than 40,000 jobs. Watch a behind-the-scenes video of our tour here or by clicking below.

I’d like to thank each and every one of you who has reached out meet with me in district, share ideas, or express concern for the issues that matter to you. Thank you and it is an honor and a privilege serving you.

In order to continue being an effective representative for you, it’s crucial that I hear from you.

As such, I’d like to extend an invitation to you. If you’d like to schedule a meeting with me, or if you’d like to pass along your thoughts for legislation or ideas to improve our communities, please feel free to reach out using the contact information below:

District Office: 101 South Meridian, Puyallup, WA 98371
District Phone: (253) 840-4523
Email: Chris.Gildon@leg.wa.gov.

Thank you for allowing me to serve you!

Governor vetoes portions of state operating budget

It’s been roughly a month since the Legislature ended the 2019 legislative session. If you’re still trying to unpack everything that happened over the course of the 105-day session, read this analysis.

Since adjourning, dozens of bills have been signed into law. Additionally, provisions of some bills met the governor’s red pen- namely, the 2019-21 operating budget. Though I voted against this budget due to the dramatic spike in state spending and billions in tax increases, I found some of his vetoes disappointing:

  • Section 131(12 and 13) – The governor deleted the section that would have enabled the Office of Financial Management (OFM) to properly track data for the 1,108 leases where the state is the tenant and make that data public. In his veto message, the governor essentially says the section would have required too much work for the agencies. Mr. Governor, I’m sorry to tell you that governing is hard work. The least we can do is make every effort to be open to taxpayers. I wonder how many taxpayer dollars are consumed in those 1,108 leases?

The governor also vetoed the next subsection, which would have funded new infrastructure for higher education institutions to report additional revenue and spending, because it would have created a “significant workload” for OFM. Taxpayers deserve transparency with how their hard-earned dollars are being spent.

  • Section 723 – This section was essentially the only budgetary cut we managed to approve and he vetoed it. He called this $23 million cut “arbitrary.” With record revenues, can we really not afford 1% in savings?
  • Section 1005 – By vetoing this section, the governor eliminated a $2 million reduction in an account used to recruit and retain businesses in Washington. In his veto message, he proclaimed this reduction would force him to rescind grant awards to businesses. I find this funny because he only spent $632,000 of the $4 million we allotted for this purpose in the previous budget. And there’s only one more month for him to use those funds.

We’re Number One…when it comes to taxes

Washington state is very competitive. As this data from the Tax Foundation shows, we’re outperforming other states, and not in a good way. We have the highest marijuana excise tax and spirits tax in the nation, the second least favorable sales tax environment, and the third highest gas and cell phone taxes. And that’s just the beginning.

We also have the fourth highest state and local sales tax rate in the nation, the sixth least favorable environment for corporate taxes, the seventh highest state and local excise tax in the nation, the eighth highest cigarette tax, and the list goes on. With $5.5 billion in new tax increases approved this session, we’re well on our way to being number one in other areas, too.

Perhaps the brightest spot of this past legislative session was defeating a capital gains income tax proposal. A majority of Washingtonians have said a resounding ‘no’ to an income tax in years past. I hope the majority party will start listening to the will of the people soon and abandon the dangerous tax-and-spend policies we saw this session.

Child Care Providers Legislative Focus Group – June 10

As I mentioned in previous updates, I plan to host several deep dive sessions throughout the next few months to work with specific industries on how state regulations affect them. The first of these will focus on childcare, and I’ll be hosting along with my seatmate, Rep. Kelly Chambers. I want to hear from both providers and parents to learn about the unique challenges faced and how state government can best adapt to fit your needs. See the invite below for details.

New committee appointees

In addition to the legislative committees I serve on, I was recently appointed to serve on two more committees to work with policymakers in different institutions and across the nation to improve our state.

The first is the Washington State Institute of Public Policy, which conducts non-partisan research in a variety of fields to inform state lawmaking. I’ll be attending my first WSIPP meeting June 3!

The second is the Economic Development Committee of the Council of State Governments – Western Division. While serving on this committee, I’ll have the opportunity to work with lawmakers in different states in the West on regional economic issues. I was honored to be selected to serve on this committee and look forward to working with fellow lawmakers on such a vital issue to our state and country.

Contact me

Just a reminder that my district office is now open and I am available for appointments. To schedule a meeting with me, please call my legislative assistant at (253) 840-4523 or send an email to Chris.Gildon@leg.wa.gov. I look forward to meeting with many 25th District residents over the interim to work together on ways we can move our state in a better direction.

It’s an honor serving you!

Hits and misses of the 2019 legislative session

The 2019 legislative session adjourned at midnight on Sunday, April 28. I’ve provided some highlights of the session below but before that, I want to thank everyone who took time out of their busy lives to engage with me throughout these past few months. Your phone calls, emails, letters, and in-person visits helped inform the decisions I made on behalf of our communities.

I also want to thank you for subscribing to my email updates. I hope they’ve been of value to you throughout the past few months, and I would love to hear your feedback. I’ll continue to send these updates throughout the interim months, so continue to watch your inbox for emails from me for the remainder of the year.

Now, for the hits and misses of the session:

HITS

  • The 2019-21 transportation budget advanced funding for the State Route 167/State Route 509 Puget Sound Gateway project by $40 million. The budget also provides roughly $16 million for freight mobility near I-5 and Port of Tacoma Road, $17.7 million for congestion relief on SR 167/SR 410 to SR 18, and several million dollars for various Pierce Transit projects. You can find all of the projects funded in the 25th Legislative District by visiting
    https://fiscal.wa.gov/BudgetTProjList.aspx and selecting “25th Legislative District.”
  • The 2019-21 capital budget provides nearly $25 million for our communities, which will fund a number of important public works projects in the 25th Legislative District. Find out more here.
  • Republicans defeated a capital gains income tax, which was part of the House Democrats’ original budget proposal.
  • Republicans also defeated a Democrat-sponsored bill that would have raised the price of gas and the cost of goods by creating a low carbon fuel standard, à la California.
  • We did right by sexual assault survivors by passing two bills that will end or extend the statute of limitations for most sex crimes, and require the Washington State Patrol to process all rape kits by December 2021 to eliminate the current backlog.
  • We took steps to address the opioid crisis by passing the bipartisan Senate Bill 5380, which will establish new rules regarding prescribing opioids and dispensing opioid reversal medication. The bill will also require physicians to discuss alternatives to opioids with patients before prescribing. However, a Republican amendment to prevent “safe” injection sites, or supervised injection sites, was stripped out of the bill.

MISSES

  • The 2019-21 operating budget grows state spending by an unsustainable rate (roughly 18% over current levels) and requires $2 billion in tax increases over four years. This includes a 20% B&O tax increase for certain services to pay for higher education, a progressive real estate excise tax, an additional B&O surcharge for banks, and an increased hazardous substance tax. Our state is seeing record revenue growth and a $2.8 billion budget surplus. This was, hands down, one of the best starting positions budget writers have been in since the Great Recession. There’s absolutely no reason we need additional tax revenue to fund our priorities.
  • Along with the above, there was no meaningful tax relief passed this year. There was never even a discussion about it.
  • Despite efforts I signed onto, no meaningful car-tab relief or Sound Transit reforms were passed.
  • The governor’s 100% clean energy bill. While this bill contains some laudable goals, it’s going to significantly drive up energy bills.
  • Not enough was done to address Washington’s affordable housing shortage. I sponsored two bills this year that would have helped us get to the bottom of some of the cost drivers associated with constructing affordable housing as well as helped increase the supply by involving more developers.

A note on transparency

We knew when we began this session with Democratic majorities in both the House and Senate, we would be seeing more new and increased tax proposals than in years past. So, while the 2019-21 operating budget that passed both chambers on party lines on Sunday is disappointing, it was not the most disheartening part of session.

The process for developing this budget was anything budget transparent. Most of the tax increases assumed in the budget were introduced, heard and passed out of committee, and brought to the House floor – all in less than 24 hours. They gave no time for the public to weigh in at all. What’s more is some of these bills were title only, meaning no substantive policy was actually outlined in the bill documents. The passage of the final budget also wasn’t transparent. The public didn’t get to see the 800-page budget until day 104 of the 105-day session.

Regardless of your political affiliation, I hope we can all agree this complete and utter lack of transparency is just wrong. This is no way to govern.

Connecting with me

Now that session has ended, I’m back in the 25th District full time. As I take the remainder of the year to prepare for the next legislative session, I want to hear your thoughts for how we can improve our communities and state. You can still reach me by sending an email to Chris.Gildon@leg.wa.gov, or you can call my district office at (253) 840-4523.

Speaking of my district office, it’s now open. The address is 101 South Meridian, Puyallup, WA 98371.

As I mentioned in my last email update, I’m still working on coordinating deep-dive sessions to work on legislation that will help clarify, simplify, or remove regulations hindering businesses and industries throughout our district and state. I welcome your suggestions as I continue to plan these events.

Please know that while the Legislature is adjourned for the year, I am your state representative year round. It’s an honor serving you!

Items still remain on Legislature’s to-do list before adjournment April 28

We’re nearing the end of the 2019 legislative session. With only a few days left, there’s still a lot left to tackle, including:

  • 2019-21 operating budget, which as the name implies, funds our state’s operational costs and services. I discussed the House proposal in my last email update, which you can read here;
  • 2019-21 capital budget, which funds building projects throughout the state. I’m working with my fellow 25th District legislators Sen. Hans Zeiger and Rep. Kelly Chambers to get some important projects funded in our communities;
  • 2019-21 transportation budget, which funds our state’s roadways, ferries, and public transit.

Budget negotiators are continuing to meet and hash out the final details of these three budgets. I’ll be sure to keep you updated as negotiations progress.

‘Recession-proofing’ financial aid is bad policy

I fundamentally believe that if you make a promise, you should do everything in your power to keep it. But some promises shouldn’t be made in the first place. Such is the case with a bill before the House that aims to “recession-proof” higher education funding. As the assistant ranking member on the House College and Workforce Development Committee, I’ve seen a number of proposals this session to increase or modify state financial aid assistance for college students. The bill now being considered by the House combines a number of different policies from these bills and calls for roughly $1 billion in new taxes.

This bill is unsustainable and fails to solve the root problem faced by so many of our fellow citizens – the high cost of tuition and books. It is unsustainable as it calls for an incredible amount of new taxes that have no expiration date. While we may be able to cover that cost today due to our stellar economy, I have to wonder how we will do so once the economy cools and budgets tighten.

The bottom line is tuition and textbook costs have skyrocketed in recent years. If we really want to tackle college affordability, we need to do the most effective and benevolent thing – lower the cost of tuition and books for everyone.

Tiny houses: a creative approach to the affordable housing shortage

Washington state’s population is growing faster than construction is keeping pace with. According to a 2018 US News and World Report, housing in Washington state is more unaffordable than almost anywhere else in the nation. The rising cost of housing is largely due to an overall shortage of available homes. In addition to making some much-needed reforms, there are a number of creative solutions we can implement to increase the supply of affordable housing. A good example is a series of bills sponsored by our very own 25th District Senator Hans Zeiger, which address some of the challenges with tiny-house development. One of those bills, Senate Bill 5383, allows cities and counties to permit tiny-home communities and clarifies that tiny homes on wheels may be sited in mobile home parks.

As his seatmate and the assistant ranking member on the House Housing, Community Development and Veterans Committee, I was happy to vote in favor of this legislation. You can watch the remarks I made about this bill on the House floor here or by clicking below.

Interim is around the corner

With the legislative session scheduled to adjourn April 28, that means interim is approaching. While the Legislature is out of session, lawmakers will be able to travel back to their districts to meet with constituents and begin planning for the next year. There are a number of things to look forward to this interim, including:

  • Puyallup office coming soon! Once session is over, I’ll be making a move to my district office in Puyallup (101 South Meridian, Puyallup, WA 98371). An opening date is to be determined, so please be sure to continue contacting my Olympia office at (360) 786-7968 or Chris.Gildon@leg.wa.gov.
  • Deep-dive sessions. Since this interim will afford me a few months to meet with the people of the 25th District before the Legislature resumes in 2020, I will be hosting several deep-dive sessions organized around a specific industry or issue. My goal is to find some of those areas where government regulation is either lacking, excessive, or incorrectly applied, and have thoroughly vetted legislation ready for the 2020 session. I’m still in the planning phase for these events, so please get in touch with me if you have some ideas.

Also, if you haven’t done so already, please ‘like’ and ‘follow’ my official legislative Facebook page. It’s another great way to stay connected to your state Legislature!

As always, if you ever have any questions, ideas, or concerns, please don’t hesitate to share them by emailing me at Chris.Gildon@leg.wa.gov or calling my office at (360) 786-7968. It’s an honor serving you!