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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
The 2025 legislative session has come to a close, and I want to thank you for the opportunity to represent you in Olympia. Over the past 105 days, I’ve worked hard to be your voice, fighting for responsible budgets, defending vulnerable communities, and securing investments that make a real difference here at home.
While the session had its challenges, it also brought meaningful wins for our district, particularly in infrastructure, public safety, and early learning. I’m proud of what we accomplished and am equally committed to continuing this work in the months ahead.
But first, I want to share one of the most important victories of the session.
Rainier School will stay open — Because we fought for it
Earlier this session, a bill was introduced to permanently close Rainier School by 2027. That proposal would have forced residents with profound developmental disabilities out of the only home they’ve ever known, left families scrambling to find appropriate care, and put hundreds of local jobs at risk. It was a deeply flawed plan that ignored the voices of families, caregivers, and the people most impacted by the decision.
I couldn’t let that happen.
As your state representative and assistant ranking member on the House Appropriations Committee, I made it my mission to fix this bill and protect Rainier School. I spent the session working alongside fellow legislators, families, advocates, and organizations like Friends of Rainier, Action DD, and the Washington Federation of State Employees. Together, we built a coalition, brought attention to the real consequences of this closure, and demanded a more compassionate, responsible path forward.
And we succeeded.
The version of the bill that passed, with an amendment I offered on day 104 of the legislative session, ensures that Rainier School will remain open indefinitely. That means:
- No current resident will be forced to leave.
- Anyone who moves to a community placement will have the right to return if their new setting doesn’t work out.
- And the dedicated caregivers who have served this population with compassion and commitment will keep their jobs.
This was never just about saving a facility. It was about saving lives, preserving dignity, and standing up for a vulnerable population that too often gets overlooked in Olympia.
I’m proud of what we accomplished — not just because of the policy outcome, but because it showed what’s possible when people from different backgrounds and political parties work together for the right reasons.
We proved that good things can happen when you stand your ground, listen to those affected, and refuse to accept bad policy as inevitable.
Thank you to everyone who spoke out, testified, or wrote in to support Rainier School. I look forward to continuing this work to ensure every individual with developmental disabilities has access to the care and support they need, now and in the future.
Capital budget delivers major wins for the 31st District
One of the most rewarding parts of this session was working to ensure your tax dollars come home. The state’s capital budget—our construction budget—invests in the buildings and infrastructure that shape daily life, from schools and housing to parks and public safety. I’m proud to report that our district will receive over $19 million in funding for local priorities.
Here are just a few of the community-focused projects we were able to secure:
- Orting School District Early Learning Center – $4.59 million
- Ski Park Bridge – $1.03 million
- Bonney Lake MRAC Sports Field – $1.25 million
- Edgewood-Milton Interurban Trail Connection – $779,000
- Wilkeson Infrastructure Improvements – $452,000
- Courts at Miller Park – $427,000
- Charter Park Court Improvements and Pump Track – $1.16 million combined
- Mother Earth Farms – $52,000
- Whitehawk Gratzer Parks Master Plan – $77,000
- Nyholm Windmill Relocation and Restoration – $118,000
- And several environmental, public safety, and tribal partnership projects totaling millions more
These projects represent not only smart investments in our region, but they also reflect the values and priorities of our communities. I was proud to advocate for each of them, and I’ll continue working to ensure our district gets its fair share.
The operating budget: A missed opportunity
While I supported the capital budget, I could not support the final operating budget passed by the majority party. At $77.9 billion, this budget reflects an unsustainable level of growth, up nearly $6 billion from the last cycle, with minimal reserves and little preparation for an economic downturn.
Washington isn’t suffering from a revenue shortage. In fact, revenue is up. The problem is spending. Rather than tightening the belt or investing wisely, this budget leans on costly programs and expansion without accountability. That’s not fiscal responsibility—that’s future risk.
Historic tax increases at the worst possible time
The majority party passed more than $9.5 billion in new and increased taxes to fund this aggressive spending plan—the largest tax hike in our state’s history. These new taxes hit working families, small businesses, and even folks making environmentally conscious choices.
Among the most concerning:
- HB 2049 – Authorizes a 55% property tax levy increase for school districts
- HB 2081 – Increases B&O taxes and adds steep surcharges
- HB 2077 – Targets zero-emission vehicle credits with new excise taxes
- SB 5814 – Expands sales tax to digital services and more
- SB 5813 – Raises capital gains and estate taxes
- SB 5794 – Eliminates key tax exemptions, including for low-income energy assistance
At a time when Washingtonians are already facing the third-highest gas prices, fourth-highest grocery costs, and soaring housing prices, this approach makes life even more expensive. We should look for ways to ease burdens, not add to them.
[Click here to view the full list of tax increases.]
The transportation budget also brings additional taxes and fees
I voted no on the final transportation budget, Senate Bill 5161. While the bill includes funding for several important projects and agencies, how we get there matters, and this budget gets there the wrong way.
Here’s why.
Despite collecting record revenues, the final $15.5 billion transportation budget relies on $3.2 billion in new taxes and fees, increasing costs on Washington drivers at a time when affordability should be a top concern.
Instead of focusing on roads, bridges, and safety improvements, the budget diverts $1 billion from the Climate Commitment Act toward things like electric school buses and bicycle infrastructure—items that traditionally belong in the education and operating budgets. This shift does little to address the real transportation challenges in communities like ours, where most people depend on their cars.
Another concern: $448 million is being shifted out of the transportation budget and into the general fund to help cover overspending in other parts of state government. That’s money paid by drivers now being used to plug holes in an unrelated budget.
And while the budget includes spending for the Washington State Patrol, the Department of Licensing, and WSDOT maintenance operations, it fails to address the underlying cost drivers that continue to make our projects more expensive, like agency inefficiencies, overregulation, and a lack of meaningful reform.
We can and should do better.
It’s not enough to just spend more—we need to spend smarter. I’ll continue fighting for transportation policies that make sense for rural and suburban communities, ensure your tax dollars go further, and put people, not politics, at the center of every decision.
My commitment to you
The legislative session may be over, but my work on your behalf continues every day. Whether it’s advancing policy, answering your questions, or helping you navigate state government, I’m here to serve.
Thank you again for the trust you’ve placed in me. I’ll keep working to make sure your voice is heard—and your concerns are never forgotten—in Olympia.
Sincerely,
Joshua Penner
