Senator Keith Wagoner, R-Sedro-Woolley, spoke with TVW’s Austin Jenkins on “Inside Olympia” about what it’s like to be a freshman lawmaker, his background and details about his first legislative session. Click the link below to see the entire show.
Tag Archives: Senator Keith Wagoner
Gratified funding for vital 39th District projects is included
Now that legislature has reached sine die, meaning the last day of the 2018 session, Republican Senator Keith Wagoner, R-Sedro-Woolley, offered this comment about the 2018 supplemental operating budget, which was developed without bipartisan input and was presented to the Legislature for a vote on the last day of the legislative session:
“Despite my great disappointment with the Democrats’ budget in general, specifically the looting of our citizen’s “rainy day account,” I am gratified that our district will benefit greatly from funding in all three underlying budgets. We were able to bring vital funding in the operating, transportation, and capital Budgets back to the 39th District to meet important community needs.”
The Supplemental Budget reduces the amount of money going into the rainy day fund by more than $700 million. Voters in every county approved Senate Joint Resolution 8206 in 2011, to protect extraordinary revenue during times of strong economic growth. Using the money generally requires a 60 percent vote in the Legislature. The rainy day fund is our state’s savings account. The money traditionally covers budget shortfalls during economic downturns or goes toward funding emergencies like natural disasters.
Wagoner is thankful that the operating, transportation and capital budgets passed this session each include funding for important projects throughout the 39th District including:
- Landslide relief for the Town of Lyman – $300,000
- Development of the Pressentin Park Trails – $603,000
- The Arlington Innovation Center – $275,000
- Sedro-Woolley Regional Library – $1.5 million
- Radar activated signs for pedestrian safety near Sauk Suiattle tribal lands – $40,000
- Sultan Decant Facility/Clean up – $340,000
“Given that this was a supplemental budget developed in a short session, I feel it has been extremely productive for the 39th.”
Lawmaker says bill targets everyday hunting rifles used by law-abiding citizens
OLYMPIA…As an advocate of protecting Second Amendment rights, Sen. Keith Wagoner, R-Sedro-Woolley, has come out strongly against Senate Bill 6620. He pointed to how the title of the proposal hides the fact that it would ban young adults from purchasing certain firearms based simply on age.
“Changes to the bill make it even worse and more far-reaching than the original bill,” said Wagoner, who serves on the committee and voted against moving SB 6620 forward.
“Instead of a limited category of semi-automatic weapons, the bill now targets all semi-automatic rifles. These are normal everyday hunting and target shooting rifles that millions of law-abiding citizens own and use in a responsible manner.”
The bill proposes a ban on the sale of any semi-automatic rifle to a person under 21, and expanded background checks for all sales of those weapons to those 21 and older. Semi-automatic shotguns are not covered in the bill. Minors are already prohibited from purchasing handguns.
Since the first acknowledged civilian mass shooting in 1966, there have been about 153 mass shootings nationwide. Within the group of perpetrators involved, Wagoner said, only 12 would have been affected by the gun-purchase ban in the Democrat bill. Out of that dozen, nine had known psychiatric issues that could have been addressed under a state mental-health law.
“To put this bill in perspective, it would infringe on the rights of hundreds of thousands of law-abiding Washington citizens because of a description that fits only three mass shooters nationwide in the past 52 years,” Wagoner explained.
Wagoner added that the bill also includes young women in the gun-purchase ban for no apparent reason.
“Only three of the perpetrators of mass shootings in our country were women, and none of them would have qualified for the ban my Democrat colleagues want,” he said. “Why promote gender inequality and infringe on the Second Amendment rights of young women who, according to the historical data, are not inclined to be behind such heinous crimes?
“I am not conceding that young men should have their constitutional rights taken any more than young women, just pointing out that people should be aware of the uneven application and consequences of this bad legislation.”
Wagoner noted that the bill, introduced Feb. 23, was referred to the budget committee instead of the Senate Law and Justice Committee, which traditionally considers policy proposals concerning firearms.
Lawmaker requests assistance for emergency repairs in Lyman area
Sen. Keith Wagoner is requesting state assistance for emergency repairs to a section of landslide damaged roadway which left dozens of homes inaccessible in the community of Lyman.
Heavy rainfall resulting in a slide destroyed a section of Prevedal Road. Initial repairs would cost an estimated $300,000, a dozen times more than the $23,137 Lyman has in its annual street budget.
“This small, rural community does not have the tax base or the reserves to address the repairs. There are about 100 people whose homes have been left inaccessible as a result of this weekend’s weather event.” wrote Wagoner, R-Sedro-Woolley, to Gov. Jay Inslee.
“I will be requesting funding in the Supplemental Transportation Budget, however, I also recognize that resources may be limited in addressing this dire need,” Wagoner added. “I would respectfully request that you bring the force of the Governor’s office to bear on this request in hopes that their immediate needs might be met. This community cannot wait until funds become available in the future.”
Wagoner said the Governor expressed his concern for the citizens of Lyman and willingness to engage his staff in working toward a solution. Good news for a town that has had more than its share of weather- related disasters this winter.
Senator Keith Wagoner, R-Sedro-Woolley, and Representative Carolyn Eslick, R-Sultan, are hosting town hall meetings on Saturday, February 17, 2018. These meetings will offer residents the opportunity to speak with their 39th District lawmakers. The meetings are open to the public.
The first town hall meeting is from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at 319 Main Street in Sultan. The second meeting is from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Hadley Hall, 18513 59th Ave NE in Arlington.
“Town hall meetings give me the opportunity to be fully informed on the topics important to the communities I represent,” said Wagoner. “I look forward hearing from residents about the things they are concerned about.”
“It is important for me to hear from the people I represent,” said Eslick. “These town hall meetings are a great way for people to voice their thoughts and ideas directly to me.”
For more information about the upcoming town hall meetings, please feel free to contact the office of Senator Keith Wagoner (360) 786-7676, email keith.wagoner@leg.wa.gov or call Rep. Carolyn Eslick at (360) 786-7816, email Carolyn.eslick@leg.wa.gov.
Saying “I love the Second Amendment,” but adding, “if I thought this bill would save lives, I would vote for it,” Senator Keith Wagoner votes against ESB 5992, which bans the “use and possession of a trigger modification device,” commonly known as a ‘bump stock.’ The bill passed the Senate by a vote of 29 to 20 on Thursday January 25, 2018. Watch the video to learn his reasoning.
In this conversation, Senator Keith Wagoner, R-Sedro-Woolley, talks about his life, military career, former political offices, and work he’s doing right now in Olympia for the 39th District.
Calling it a “slippery slope,” senator votes against Hirst bill
Saying it doesn’t do anything to help Skagit County land owners, Sen. Keith Wagoner, R-Sedro-Woolley, voted against the Democrat-sponsored Hirst bill (ESSB 6091), dealing with water rights and wells in rural areas like the 39th District.
“We’re on a slippery slope,” said Wagoner. “I believe that supporters of property rights and property owners will regret this bill. Well users are adding to the rivers. I’m a physical oceanography major. I know this is not based in science. This bill is based in bureaucratic arguments.”
On Thursday night, Republicans and Democrats passed a measure in the state House and Senate creating new rules for household wells, which are crucial for new development in areas where city water is not available. A 2016 Supreme Court ruling in a Whatcom County case imposed near-impossible requirements on rural property owners and county planning departments. The Hirst legislation specifically exempts Skagit County, which is part of the 39th District, at the request of the tribes that want to work on other water measures, including two pilot metering projects.
As promised, Wagoner did not vote for this bill. “As the mayor of Sedro-Woolley and now as the senator for the 39th District, I’ve seen the enormous impact the Hirst decision has had on my neighbors in Skagit County. I’ve talked with many constituents whose property has been left in limbo and considered worthless because they are unable to develop it,” said Wagoner, “I hope this isn’t over. I will continue to fight for water rights in the 39th District and legislation that respects my neighbors.”
Lawmaker says property-tax reform would help families, developers across state
Sen. Keith Wagoner, R-Sedro-Woolley, has introduced a bill that would let developers in cities and towns across Washington take advantage of a tax credit now available only in cities with at least 15,000 people.
“It’s a tax incentive to allow multi-family housing to be built,” Wagoner adds, “and save some money on their taxes while they invest in the community” Senate Bill 6347 would end the population-based restriction on a property-tax exemption for new and rehabilitated multiple-unit dwellings. It has attracted bipartisan sponsorship and been referred to the Senate Economic Development and International Trade Committee, of which Wagoner is a member.
As the economy booms in areas like the 39th District, which Wagoner serves, employers are looking for attractive places where employees can live.
“There is a housing crunch all up the Interstate 5 corridor,” said Wagoner. “I think it makes sense that we allow this tax relief for developers in all of our municipalities.”
The first-year senator also sees his bill as a way to add housing to buildings in smaller downtown areas throughout the state.
“These buildings are historic, they’re beautiful, but they’re also very expensive to bring up to current codes – safety and fire and things like that. This would allow developers a little bit of financial relief so they can make those investments and keep our downtowns alive.”