I hope you and your family have had a great Thanksgiving week full of football, food and fellowship!
I’m sending this email update out tonight because election-year restrictions go into effect tomorrow. That means I won’t be able to send you another email update until session starts on January 13. However, I’ll still be able to respond to your emails, phone calls and letters, so please feel free to contact me anytime.
Before I get to the results of the legislative priorities survey I sent in my last email update, I invite you to take a few minutes to watch my latest video update. In the update, I discuss what I’ve been working on this interim, why it’s important for us as lawmakers to meet in our respective committees before the start of session, and what my legislative priorities are for next year. Take a look:
2020 legislative priorities survey results
I want to thank those of you who responded to the legislative priorities survey I sent out last week. I’m here to serve you and bring your voice to Olympia, so knowing exactly where you stand on the issues is helpful.
As I’ve said many times, I’m fully committed to working across the aisle to help shape good public policy that will benefit our district and the state. However, I’m also going to continue fighting against policies that increase taxes, create unnecessary barriers to growth, and infringe on your liberties.
With that said, here are the survey results:
Q1. What do you believe is the top priority the Legislature needs to address during the 2020 session? (Responses are a weighted average)
Q2. What is the most significant financial challenge your family faces on a monthly basis? (Responses are a weighted average)
Q3. In general, I’m happy with the way things are going in Washington state.
Q4. The Democratic majority in Olympia understands and is working on the issues most important to me and my family.
Q5. Do you believe the Legislature spends your tax dollars wisely on services that Washingtonians need, or do you believe that the Legislature wastes your tax dollars on unnecessary and frivolous things?
Q6. Would you support an increase in the gas tax as a way to pay for improving the state’s roads, highways and bridges?
Q7. Do you support replacing the gas tax with a pay-per-mile system?
Q8. Do you support a state income tax?
Q9. Would you support legislation to prevent local governments from implementing an income tax?
Thank you again for taking the time to answer these questions. It’s clear from your responses that you feel lawmakers could be doing a better job for you and your family. I couldn’t agree more. Although our caucus is in the minority, we have a role to play in proposing and advocating for policies that make daily life more affordable, increase government accountability, and create safer communities. We’ll be focused on these priorities during the 2020 session.
House Page Program
I can’t say enough good things about the House Page Program, which offers students between the ages of 14 and 16 the opportunity to come to the Capitol and serve as a page for a week. Students in the program attend page school every day, assist lawmakers on the House floor, and fulfill many other tasks critical to the efficient operation of the Legislature. It’s a great way for them to get involved in their state government, and an experience they’ll never forget.
If you know of any students who would be interested in serving as a page during the upcoming session, please send me an email. To become a page, applicants must have a legislative sponsor and obtain written permission from their parents and school. Pages earn $35 per day while serving in the program.
For more information, click here.
Contacting me
Please continue contacting me with your comments, questions and concerns. My email address is matt.boehnke@leg.wa.gov, and my phone number is (360) 786-7986.
It is an honor to serve you.