Eastern Washington GOP lawmakers weigh in on ‘politically tone-deaf’ session

(The Center Square) – The Washington Legislature was “politically tone-deaf” to the plight of many families when a record $64.1 billion government spending plan was recently approved, said lawmakers from the east side of the Cascade Crest.

Instead of providing property tax or sales tax relief, or not imposing new fees, the Democratic majority in Olympia added to the financial burden of many families. Those decisions were made during a time when inflation is at its highest point in 40 years and prices at the gas pump have broken records, the legislators said.

That message was shared this week by Reps. Jacquelin Maycumber and Joe Schmick, and by Sen. Shelly Short. All three legislators are Republicans.

The Center Square reached out to Sen. Andy Billig, D-Spokane, and Rep. Timm Ormsby, D-Spokane, for feedback about the 2022 legislative session that concluded March 10, but calls were not returned.

Short, a resident of Addy, complained Democrats didn’t use a time of plenty to kill an unpopular payroll tax. Instead, they put off a decision until next year about whether workers should pay 0.58% of their earnings into a long-term care insurance program.

“The majority party voted to increase the cost of living at the worst possible time,” said Maycumber, who makes her home in Republic. “It shouldn’t be record spending with record revenue. It should be returning money back to the people.”

Republicans and a few Democrats tried to get a sales tax cut, among other tax relief for Washington residents, but these proposals were rejected, she said.

Instead, she said policies adopted by Democrats to combat climate change are estimated to add to the price at the pump. And energy efficiency mandates for construction are forecast to bump up the price of a new home significantly.

“We have a shortage right now of affordable housing so making it more expensive to build doesn’t make sense,” said Maycumber.

Short said license plate fees went up 400% and the stolen vehicle check required to register a car from another state is 300% more. The fees for enhanced driver’s license and state ID cards are also up significantly.

She said there are a host of other fee increases for public services, which GOP officials felt was unnecessary when the legislature started out with billions in projected surplus to work with.

Instead, the majority took money out of other accounts to pay for a 16-year, almost $17 billion transportation package that primarily benefits western Washington, she said.

Schmick, who resides in Colfax, said the added tax and fees are “regressive” because they don’t hit everyone the same. People with less money will pay a larger percentage of their incomes.

When an economic downturn comes, Short said the eyes of the legislature will turn once again to taxpayers bank accounts because so many new programs were put in place this year and projected surpluses could evaporate.

“I’m angry because people aren’t being listened to. Instead, they are being burdened by the spending practices of the state of Washington,” she said.

Short and Maycumber represent the 7th legislative district, which encompasses Ferry, Pend Oreille and Stevens counties, as well as part of Okanogan and Spokane counties.

Schmick serves the 9th legislative district, which includes Adams, Asotin, Garfield and Whitman counties, and also part of Franklin and Spokane counties.

“It’s disappointing when you know that so many families are having problems keeping up with food costs and you can’t help them,” he said.

The three lawmakers pointed out these areas of increased spending in what Short said was supposed to be only a supplemental budget:

$351 million to increase rates for vendors providing services to individuals with a developmental disability or with long-term care needs.$350 million to shore up the state’s Paid Family Medical Leave Insurance Account.$236 million to increase the calculation of inflation for K-12 salaries, as well as materials, supplies, and operating costs.$232 million for wage increases and other compensation changes for state employees.$150 million to design and implement a state student loan program.$102 million to support the transition to electric vehicles.

The makeup of the House is 41 Republicans and 57 Democrats. In the Senate there are 20 Republicans and 29 Democrats.

Short, who is a Senate minority floor leader, and Maycumber, a House minority floor leader, say they are often criticized by people who think the GOP isn’t fighting hard enough to hold bad bills.

They said Republicans have been united in their opposition to new taxes and fees. They have used procedural tactics, such as running out the clock, to stop movement of some problematic proposals.

For instance, despite strong Democratic support, the GOP helped stop a bill to integrate climate change into land-use planning by threatening to talk it to death in the House on the final day of session.

Many times, the trio said Democrats rolled out a proposal that was voted upon before there was time for it to be vetted. At other times, they stopped movement on a bill, such as one restoring police pursuits that Billig, as Senate majority leader, refused to bring to the floor for a vote.

Short believes having committees meet remotely so that lawmakers did not have to interact directly with the public made the situation worse.

Despite the obstacles they faced, Schmick, Short and Maycumber are pleased to have scored some small victories on behalf of their constituents.

Schmick was able to get a bill approved that allows nurses instead of doctors to administer Narcan for opioid overdoses, speeding up the treatment process in emergency rooms.

He was also successful at getting a bill approved that makes it easier for Labor & Industries to reopen a closed claim when a worker experiences new problems related to a past injury on the job.

“They aren’t earth shattering, but they were fixes that were needed,” he said.

Maycumber, who once worked in law enforcement, was pleased that two bills to correct problems created by a package of police reform legislation from 2021 were approved.

These bills clarified that officers may use force to help detain or transport people in behavioral health crisis, and they can posses certain less-lethal weapons.

Maycumber said many other changes are needed, such as loosening prohibitions on pursuits. She believes spiking violent crime rates in Seattle and other major cities will bring Democrats back to the table next year to take a second look at their policies.

Short continued her multi-year push to make the Growth Management Act more flexible to alleviate a housing shortage and helping counties avoid costly litigation. She was successful in softening up rigid rules so that community can change the areas identified for population growth if that occurs elsewhere.

In addition, the modernization of rural lands smaller than urban growth areas, which are located on the fringes of cities, is now allowed.

Schmick said the makeup of the legislature could be different in 2023 if polls about voter discontent with Democratic policies are to be believed.

“I think people are fed up; they don’t feel safe and they are feeling the government overreach,” he said.

Short said a prime example of that overreach are Inslee’s ongoing emergency powers, which Democrats failed to curtail in any meaningful way in the 2022 session. She believes citizens want to see balance restored in state governance by having the legislature set policies instead of that being done unilaterally by one man.

“There are consequences to elections,” she said. “We are doing everything we can, but we need more votes on the floor.”

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