Home | About Mary | News & Media | Email Updates | The Ledger | Contact
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
The summer has gone by very quickly. As we prepare for fall, back to school, and cooler weather, I would like to take a few minutes to provide this legislative update.
Record tax increases take effect
Have you noticed the recent surge in gas prices over the past two months? Washington state already has the third-highest gas prices in the U.S., ranking behind only California and Hawaii. This is primarily due to Washington’s Climate Commitment Act, the state’s cap-and-trade program that took effect in 2023. This year, however, the Legislature increased those prices even further by boosting the state gas tax by six cents a gallon, beginning July 1 (Senate Bill 5801). Diesel and propane prices also increased by 12 cents a gallon. Additionally, a 2% annual increase was included in the final legislation signed into law.
During the 2025 legislative session earlier this year, majority Democrats passed a record-setting $77.9 billion 2025-27 operating budget and a $12.5 billion increase in taxes over the next four years. Many of these taxes also took effect in July. They include:
- House Bill 1392: Increases taxes on private health insurance.
- House Bill 2049: 55% increase in local school district property tax levy authority.
- House Bill 2061: Creates a 10% excise tax on duty-free stores.
- House Bill 2081: Increases the B&O tax on most businesses, including manufacturers, food producers, financial institutions, and retailers, which will be passed to consumers.
- Senate Bill 5583: Increases hunting and fishing license fees.
- Senate Bill 5390: Increases the Discover Pass fee by 50%. (I had proposed to eliminate the Discover Pass under my ORCA Plan, first introduced in 2022.)
- Senate Bill 5813: Increases capital gains and estate taxes.
- Senate Bill 5814: Increases the sales tax on various services and goods.
- See more tax increases here.
My House Republican colleagues and I opposed these additional tax increases. Unfortunately, the Democratic majority in Olympia prevailed, and the legislation has now become law. Go here to see more about what happened in the 2025 legislative session.
Medicaid funding slashed by state Democratic budget writers, not the feds
Next time Gov. Ferguson and Democrats complain about Medicaid funding cuts and blame Republicans in Congress, please don’t fall for their hypocritical gaslighting tactics. New data shows deep Medicaid cuts were passed in April by majority Democrats in Olympia within the state’s operating budget, long before Congress acted in July.
House Republican Budget Leader Travis Couture recently highlighted nearly $800 million in Medicaid cuts proposed by state Democratic budget writers, months before any action took place in the other Washington. As Couture noted, “They hit general medical services for U.S. citizens. They hit long-term care. And they hit people with disabilities and nursing homes.”
What did Democrats do with the savings from those in-state Medicaid cuts? Couture says they used that money to fund pay raises for themselves and state bureaucrats.
Still in doubt? Read the details for yourself in this Center Square article. Also, please read Rep. Couture’s news release.
What are we getting for all that Climate Commitment Act money?
New data from the Washington Policy Center suggests that Washington state is spending millions of dollars from the state’s Climate Commitment Act with very little, if any, benefit toward reducing carbon dioxide emissions.
The Policy Center’s Todd Myers told The Center Square, “According to the Department of Ecology’s own report last year, in the first round of spending, 77% of projects received no CO2 benefit: no benefit at all.”
Part of that CCA money, $14 million, was awarded in 2024 to six tribes and 27 community organizations through HEAL (Healthy Environment for All) Capacity Grants to “advance environmental justice.” One of the grant recipients noted the money would be used to “lift up the East African immigrant community’s policy priorities.” Another recipient stated the funds would be used to “develop collective knowledge concerning environmental racism.”
Myers’ report says that although Washington state has collected nearly $4 billion in CO2 taxes since 2023, “much of the money ends up in state agencies to hire more government employees, pay for studies, and fund planning bureaucracy.” That’s something to remember the next time you pull up to the gas pumps and experience sticker shock.
Idaho’s heroic response to the Quagga mussel invasion in the Snake River
As the Labor Day holiday approaches, the last warm weekend of summer means many will plan to spend time enjoying their boats, kayaks, paddleboards, and other floatable toys on the river.
Our Columbia and Snake River watershed contains an ecosystem —a web of life that requires all of us to protect. Years ago, Quagga mussels were introduced into the U.S. from an infected ship traveling to the Great Lakes from Ukraine. This invasive species has spread rapidly, infesting and destroying aquatic life in its wake.
After a region-wide, 20-year effort between our river states of Montana, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington, and our Canadian partners in Alberta and British Columbia, we have successfully prevented infestation of our watershed. That is, up until two years ago. That’s when a contaminated water toy introduced the mussel to the Snake River above Twin Falls. A heroic and effective response from Idaho forms the template for containment. Gov. Brad Little describes the update on the containment in his press release here.
If these efforts fail to contain the invasive mussel, it will forever change our river ecosystem and negate the decades-long efforts to improve salmon returns across the watershed. Ratepayers in the Bonneville Power system have invested more than $8 billion in salmon recovery efforts. Other federal, state, local, and tribal initiatives have also contributed to this commitment, totaling over $20 billion to enhance habitat and improve survival through our multi-benefit hydropower system. You can learn more by reading Northwest Public Power Association CEO Kurt Miller’s editorial in the Seattle Times.
Have a safe and fun Labor Day weekend! If your plans include boats or other watercraft, make certain they are clean, drained, and dry before entering our lakes and rivers. And please stop by the inspection stations, where you might get to see one of our incredible mussel detection dogs, Puddles or Fin!
Conference schedules make up a busy summer
It is an honor to represent you and your 9th District neighbors. As part of that representation, I meet with legislators and officials here in Washington state and across the nation. Here is a sampling of my schedule over the summer:
- May 2: Snake River tour with the state Recreation and Conservation Office, U.S. Rep. Michael Baumgartner’s office, Army Corps of Engineers, and the ports of Clarkston and Whitman. The tour demonstrated the importance of the lower Snake River dams to the recreation and tourism sectors in southeast Washington.
- May 24 – June 4: Iceland/Brussels Energy and Environment study mission.
- June 17-18: Washington Rural Electric Cooperative Association Energy Summit – I participated on a panel with numerous other legislators to discuss the future of energy in our state.
- June 25: National Potato Council Summer Conference – I participated on a panel with numerous legislators from other states.
- July 15-18: American Legislative Exchange Council annual conference in Indianapolis.
- July 20-24: Pacific Northwest Economic Region annual conference in Bellevue. I participated in the Energy Security Roundtable to discuss the Northwest’s role in global energy security.
- July 31 – Aug. 2: National Conference of Environmental Legislators annual conference in Boston.
- Aug. 4 – 6: National Conference of State Legislators annual summit in Boston.
- Aug. 12 – 13: Franklin County and Washington State Farm Bureau “Farmer for a Day” event.
Please stay in touch!
Whether you have a question about legislation or are experiencing difficulties obtaining help from a state agency, please don’t hesitate to reach out to my office. I work for you throughout the year. You’ll find my contact information below.
Thank you for the honor of allowing me to serve and represent you!
Sincerely,
Mary Dye
