Holmquist reviews recent session

Legislator disappointed by tax increases

MOSES LAKE — State Rep. Janea Holmquist just finished what she called the ugliest legislative session since first being elected to the Washington State Legislature.

For her third session, Holmquist said she went to Olympia with high hopes of making the state more business friendly. But she said she was disappointed by tax increases she felt the state didn't need to levy in order to pass a balanced budget.

"We didn't have to raise taxes on our Washington state citizens," Holmquist said this week.

After the 110-day session and hundreds of millions in state tax increases, Holmquist said she couldn't in good conscience vote for what has become known as the gas tax. Holmquist was the only member of the 13th legislative district to vote against the transportation tax, which would also go toward major transportation infrastructure projects such as the broadening of Highway 17 between Moses Lake and Ephrata.

Holmquist said she was also saddened by the reinstatement of the state estate tax. She was also one of 43 legislators to vote against a bill suspending voter initiative 601 for the next to years. The initiative had required a two-thirds majority in both the house and senate before a tax increase could be passed.

"It opened it up to future sessions for tax increases," she said.

But amongst the gloom were a few rays of light for the legislator, who said she was proud to prime sponsor a fire sprinkler bill that increases awareness of defective fire sprinklers throughout Washington. The bill will use existing state fire money to increase awareness of the 750,000 defective sprinklers in homes and business in the state.

Holmquist was also proud to support a tort reform measure that gives protections to employers who have to give out information about employees. A bill was also approved that requires the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife to post details about cougar and human run-ins on its Web site.

Money that will go towards Port of Ephrata improvements, Big Bend Community College fleet replacement and Warden wells were other measures the legislator was glad to support.

However, Holmquist said vetoes by Gov. Christine Gregoire are concerning her. Amongst those vetoes was a $50,000 budget proviso she supported that would have compensated livestock owners for animals killed by cougars.

In the weeks since the legislature closed its session, Holmquist has been speaking to various groups about her time in Olympia. She said the question she gets asked the most isn't about the gas tax or other tax issues, but about the potential for a re-vote in the governor's race. She has been responding that she thinks that vote will happen by the end of the year.

She's also focusing on her agenda for next year's session. Measures that are hopeful for Holmquist next year include helping health insurance be more affordable for businesses and business owners.

"This next session we're going to have to come out of the starting blocks strong with pro-business measures," she said.