Latest news with #ChrisGildon
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Republicans fret they'll be left out of critical stage of budget talks
Washington state Sen. Chris Gildon of Puyallup is the chief budget writer for Senate Republicans. ( Photo by Ryan Berry/Washington State Standard) Negotiations on a new state budget got a step more serious Thursday. And, Republicans argue, more secretive. The state Senate voted to request that the two chambers form a conference committee for the operating budget. If the House agrees, and it will in the next few days, six lawmakers – four Democrats and two Republicans – will be charged with reconciling differences in spending plans approved in each chamber. The chief budget writers for each caucus will serve on the panel. Here's the rub for the GOP. They know employing a conference committee at this stage is pretty much standard operating procedure. They did it when they were in the majority. They also understand it isn't like other committees. It won't meet in public until there is a final version of the budget ready to be voted on. And whatever the committee delivers cannot be amended. Republicans are unlikely to be invited to many meetings. Maybe none. Democrats will huddle behind closed doors with their leadership and strike deals. They can involve Republicans at any and every step if they want, but more likely they will brief them when they feel it is necessary. 'You're going to have basically four legislators in a room likely making very dramatic changes to the operating budget, changes none of us will ever have a chance to amend,' Sen. Chris Gildon, R-Puyallup, said on the Senate floor. Gildon is the lead Republican budget writer and will be a committee member. 'It is closed to the public. It is not transparent,' he said, adding 'it will further erode trust in state government.' Sen. June Robinson, D-Everett, chair of the Senate Ways and Means Committee and the Democrats' lead budget writer, disagreed with the characterization. 'The conference report process is something the Legislature does every year for the budget and other bills,' she said in a statement. 'I have worked closely with my Republican counterparts throughout the budget process and am open to discussions with them at any point going forward,' Robinson added. 'All of that is taken into consideration in negotiations.' The Senate motion to form a conference committee passed on a party-line 30-19 margin.
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Washington bill to cap rent increases clears first Senate hurdle
(Photo by) A new cap on rent hikes in Washington got one step closer to becoming law Wednesday. On a party-line vote, the Senate Housing Committee passed House Bill 1217, which would set a 7% limit on annual residential rent increases, with some exceptions. The bill, one of the most controversial moving through Olympia this legislative session, would also prohibit rent increases during the first year of a tenancy. The rules wouldn't apply to buildings under 12 years old or those owned by nonprofits or public housing authorities. Landlords would also need to give written notice 90 days before a rent increase. The policy would cap move-in fees for manufactured housing, but not rentals. Tenants or the state attorney general's office could bring litigation over violations of the proposed law. The committee had already passed the House bill's Senate companion last month, but it didn't advance beyond that. So if lawmakers approve the rent stabilization proposal this year, the House version will have to be the vehicle for enshrining it into law. Sen. Jesse Salomon, D-Shoreline, who didn't support the previous bill last month, voted for the version passed Wednesday. Opponents say the bill would drive developers out of Washington, hurting the state's push to increase housing supply. And current landlords wouldn't be able to keep up with inflationary costs for maintenance, they believe. Sen. Chris Gildon, R-Puyallup, pointed to another proposal from Senate Democrats to allow an increase in annual property tax from the current 1% cap. 'I have a real fear for our housing market at large over time should both of those policies come to fruition,' Gildon said. Supporters, meanwhile, argue the rent legislation would give predictability to tenants who could be forced out of their homes by steep hikes, while still giving room for landlords to impose increases. 'As everyone knows, housing is the single greatest cost in a household budget,' said Sen. Emily Alvarado, D-Seattle. 'This bill is a simple guardrail for the many, many people in this state who just want to make sure that they can have a little bit of control in that household budget and plan and save.' The committee on Wednesday added a 2045 expiration date for the policy, changed the proposed rent cap for manufactured homes from 7% to 5% and required an analysis of the bill's impacts in 10 years. Democrats turned down a Republican amendment to remove the exemption for nonprofits and public housing authorities. 'If this is a good policy, it should apply to all,' said Sen. Keith Goehner, R-Dryden. Earlier this month, the measure passed the House on a 53-42 vote, with five Democrats joining Republicans in opposition. After the vote, Senate Majority Leader Jamie Pedersen, D-Seattle, indicated the bill may need changes in his chamber to curry votes. Democrats hold a 30-19 majority in the Senate. The bill would need 25 votes to pass. Already, 18 Democrats had signed on in support and Salomon would make 19. Pedersen pointed to adjusting the 7% cap or lengthening the 12-year exemption period for new buildings as possible tweaks. He also floated the idea that landlords could 'bank' the rent increases for future years, meaning that if they forgo part or all of the 7% increase in a given year, they could attach the leftover amount to a future rent hike above the current threshold. The bill now heads to the Ways and Means Committee, where a similar bill lapsed last year after passing the House. The measure needs to pass the committee by April 8, or it will likely be considered dead for the year. If the bill passes the Senate and Gov. Bob Ferguson signs it, the provisions would go into effect immediately. The legislative session is scheduled to adjourn April 27. The housing committee on Wednesday also advanced bills to encourage more transit-oriented development and allow for lot splitting.
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Senate Republicans unveil budget proposal they say is a 'third way'
Mar. 11—OLYMPIA — Republicans in the Washington Senate unveiled a budget plan Tuesday they say will address the state's budget deficit without increasing taxes. With Democrats in control in both legislative chambers and the governor's mansion, though, the proposal is likely to face obstacles in the weeks ahead. Tuesday's announcement comes ahead of a revenue forecast next week that will give lawmakers a clearer picture of the state's financial outlook, a move that Sen. Chris Gildon, R-Puyallup, operating budget leader for Senate Republicans, acknowledged is a "risk." The caucus became the first to release a formal budget proposal, though Senate Republicans said Democratic and Republican leadership in both legislative chambers, as well as the governor's office, had been briefed. "We're providing this about two weeks prior to any other budget that you're going to see, because we want to have this out in the public space for scrutiny," Gildon said. Gildon said Tuesday the proposal proves that there is a "third way" that is not purely reliant on cuts or tax increases. "There is a reasonable middle ground," Gildon said. The proposal projects 5% growth over the next two years, and calls for $75.6 billion in total spending. According to Senate Republicans, the plan calls for increased funding for K-12 education, which Gildon said is among their top priorities. Gildon said the proposal would also not cut eligibility or hours of care for seniors, people with developmental disabilities or those receiving behavioral health treatment. The proposal calls on the state to forgo previously negotiated collective bargaining agreements, which amount to roughly $4 billion in increased wages, and instead offers state workers a $5,000 bonus, which would be paid over two years. "It's very progressive; it means a lot to the people at the lower end of the economic scale," Gildon said of the bonus. The proposal also calls on the state to save $1.7 billion by not implementing previously approved programs that have yet to take effect. On Tuesday, Senate Minority Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, said the budget "keeps faith with the people of the state of Washington." "It lives within our means, but also delivers the services that our folks need around the state," Braun said. Gildon said that a proposal by former Gov. Jay Inslee to balance the budget through a series of spending cuts was "more akin to propaganda" than a serious proposal. According to House Democrats, the plan without new taxes calls for slashing a wide array of state programs, including a $3.5 billion cut to health care, a $1.3 billion cut to human services and early learning, $1.1 billion to higher education and a $365 million cut to behavioral health, among others. "If I was to advise the governor to write a budget that would scare people to death, and make them beg for additional taxes, that's probably the budget that I would have written," Gildon said. Following the announcement Tuesday, Sen. June Robinson, D-Everett, who chairs the Senate Ways and Means Committee, said in a statement that she was appreciative of "the work my Republican colleagues have put into crafting their proposal and their willingness to engage in this important discussion." "But while they're calling this a 'no-cuts' budget, the reality is it includes $6 billion in reductions — many of which were identified through bipartisan conversations where Republicans were at the table and will also be reflected in my proposal," Robinson said in the statement. Robinson said the proposal unveiled by Republicans would also treat the Climate Commitment Act like "a piggy bank for unrelated programs" and that the proposal fails to fund previously agreed upon collective bargaining agreements for state employees. Robinson added that the budget shifts costs and relies on short-term fixes. "That's why I am committed to a balanced approach — one that includes responsible reductions but also the progressive revenue options needed to sustain core services," Robinson said. "Deep cuts alone won't meet the needs of a growing state. We've seen the harm that underfunding essential services can cause, and we cannot repeat those mistakes. It's time to build a budget that works for the future of Washington." The proposal comes as lawmakers look to close a budget deficit Republican Senators pegged at $6.6 billion, which they attribute to nonpartisan staff, though the figure has fluctuated. In December, the Office of Financial Management projected the figure at $12.6 billion over the next four years, while Gov. Bob Ferguson estimated the shortfall at $15 billion last month as he unveiled a plan to save approximately $4 billion. During the Feb. 27 news conference, Ferguson said the state faces a "budget crisis" and called on the state government to "do a better job of budgeting within our means." Ferguson's plan includes furloughing most state employees once a month for the next two years, which the governor said would save more than $300 million, though he said he supports previously negotiated collective bargaining agreements. "We will remain committed throughout this process to our values as a state. Our proposals reinforce those values and help put us on a path to a sustainable and balanced budget," Ferguson said. "Together, I believe we can build a more sustainable future for Washingtonians, one that is both fiscally responsible and remains true to our values." The Office of Financial Management will provide an updated revenue forecast on Tuesday.
