‘Heartless’: Braun Knocks Inslee, Dems After California Provides Gas Assistance to Residents 


By The Chronicle staff

State Senate Republican Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, criticized Gov. Jay Inslee and Democrats in the state Legislature last week for refusing to enact what he considers “meaningful tax relief” by reducing the state gas tax while simultaneously helping what he refers to as a “select group of people” with rising prices. 

Braun pointed to California as a predominantly Democrat-controlled state that is offering tax reductions to its residents, questioning why Democrats in Washington would break from their counterparts in California on the issue of taxes despite often enacting similar policies in other matters.

“For years, Washington has blindly mimicked California on energy and environmental policies that make living in our state less affordable,” Braun said in a statement. “Now that California is putting money back into the pockets of its people, and acknowledging that they could use some help from government, Governor Inslee won’t follow and our Democratic colleagues in the Legislature are silent. Within a matter of months, middle-income families in Washington will see a host of tax increases — from those taken directly out of their wages, to higher sales and property taxes, to increased costs of driving — all due to policies enacted by Democrats and signed by Governor Inslee in the past two legislative sessions. In that light, the choice to approve fat new labor agreements instead of helping families sends a clear message: Some people matter more than the rest.”

Braun continued by arguing that while state government employees do valuable work, the decision to give state employees raises while not giving financial aid to other Washington residents was “heartless.”

Braun ended his statement by calling for a change in direction in the state capitol. 




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