Awards ceremony honors ‘epic fails’ of 2021 legislative session OLYMPIA – The new income tax passed by majority Democrats in the Washington Legislature earned top honors in the first annual Galloping Gertie Awards, presented by the Senate Freedom Caucus to honor the biggest fails of the 2021 legislative session. The...

Today, I had a briefing on how COVID-19 is impacting the state’s economy. The state’s Chief Economist unsurprisingly delivered some pretty devastating news. You can read the full report by clicking here.  

Recent changes in the state’s property tax, added pressures from local tax levies and rising home values mean more people are struggling to pay their property taxes. That is why state Sen. Phil Fortunato, R-Auburn, and the Senate Republican Caucus are pushing to amend the state’s constitution to restructure Washington’s...

Last year, legislative Democrats approved $26 billion in new taxes over the next decade. One the proposals in that package included an increase in the regressive business and occupation (B&O) tax on everything from health-care providers to housing services. Despite the state Department of Revenue indicating the bill violates four...

State Sen. Phil Fortunato is disappointed that Gov. Jay Inslee’s supplemental budget proposal seeks to raid the state’s constitutional rainy-day fund to the tune of over $300 million. Fortunato, R-Auburn made this statement regarding how the governor’s proposal could leave Washington vulnerable in the event of an economic downturn. “In...

It’s budget season as we enter the final weeks of the 2019 legislative session. Watch my latest video update where I discuss the dueling budget proposals and where our state is headed.

There’s just one day left in the legislative session and the Democrats, who have the majority and control the agenda, are pulling out all the stops. They want to approve a supplemental budget, with what Republicans think is an illegal budget gimmick, ignoring state law and using a shell game to...

Sen. Phil Fortunato, R-Auburn, issued the following statement in response to the news that the House has refused a permanent Hirst fix: House Democrats are being led by Seattle special interests that think that city water magically appears out of pipes in the wall but rural water taken from wells...

By now, you should have received my final legislative update for the year.  Unfortunately, Senate rules governing election-year communications required that my final update be mailed prior to the end of our legislative business this year.  You can read the entire newsletter by clicking the picture below. In the newsletter,...

Senator Fortunato was privileged to attend the June 28, 2017 Basic Law Enforcement Academy graduation ceremonies of Class 750.  The academy is an essential institution that trains officers to protect us and  themselves, and even to keep safe the people they are duty-bound to arrest. It ensures that every local officer has consistent...