成人X站

Tensions ran high in Olympia on Wednesday as the legislative session neared its end.

Washington Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal and Senate Minority Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, argued over

The bill would have allowed the current 1% cap on property taxes to be lifted as high as 3%. However, according to the , Rep. Steve Bergquist, D-Renton, the bill鈥檚 sponsor, added an amendment removing the bill鈥檚 sections on the growth limit.

The Center Square reported Reykdal testified in favor of the bill during a public hearing before the

鈥淭his undoes a wrong from seven years ago, where, without a requirement from the court, a billion dollars was cut from local schools,鈥� he said.

According to the Center Square, the 鈥渨rong鈥� Reykdal was referring to stemmed from the 2012 McCleary decision. The Washington State Supreme Court found the state was not adequately funding K-12 education and ordered the legislature to do so. In 2018, the 鈥淢cCleary Solution鈥� reduced local levy authority.

Property tax bill sparks heated legislative debate

Tension rose between Reykdal and Braun after Reykdal said 90% of local levies pass.

鈥淒espite the rhetoric out there, people overwhelmingly support their local schools,” he said.

But, in reference to Tuesday鈥檚 special election, Braun said there were three districts in his area where levies were not passing.

鈥淲hether it鈥檚 a lack of trust or a high tax amount, whatever the reason is, it seems highly likely that we鈥檙e going to have more levy failures, which means you have nothing 鈥� how do you deal with that?鈥�

The Center Square reported that Reykdal鈥檚 response was that it鈥檚 typically bonds that fail, while levies pass.

鈥淵ou could get in your local paper and say, 鈥楶lease pass levies in my community,鈥欌�� Reykdal said.
鈥淚 have done that, but frankly, superintendent, there鈥檚 a lack of trust, and you鈥檙e saying nothing here that鈥檚 restoring that trust,鈥� Braun said.

At that point, the Center Square reports Braun said he had no more questions.

EHSB 2049 is on the Senate Ways & Means Committee agenda on Friday at 1:30 p.m.