Rep. Ramel | Facts Over Fear: Strengthening communities, advancing solutions, upcoming town halls

With four weeks remaining in this 60-day legislative session, I want to share an update on several priorities I’ve been working on at the Capitol – particularly tax fairness, cost-of-living pressures, climate action, and government accountability.

These issues are often the subject of intense debate in Olympia, and too often that debate is clouded by fear-based messaging and distortions that obscure the facts. My goal here is to cut through that noise and explain how the Legislature is advancing practical solutions that strengthen local communities, protect taxpayers, and invest responsibly in Washington’s future.

Equitable Funding for Our Community

A top priority for me this year is finding ways to meet the budget needs of local and state government without contributing to the inequity in our upside-down tax code. These solutions are not always easy, but I’m convinced that we should be working on long-term solutions.

Unfortunately, we’re seeing a familiar pattern emerge from opposition campaigns when special interests oppose these kinds of reforms. Whether it’s short-term rental platforms or opponents of progressive tax reform, the strategy is the same: confuse Washingtonians, exaggerate impacts, and divert attention from what these policies are designed to do: give communities the resources they need to address affordability and invest locally.

I’m supporting reforms that ensure fairness and transparency at the local level. This includes responsible approaches to funding affordable housing, as well as Renewable Energy Tax Reform (HB 1960), which addresses a long-standing property tax issue affecting communities that host wind, solar, and battery storage projects. Under current law, depreciation of large renewable facilities can unintentionally shift tax burdens onto residents, especially in small districts. HB 1960 replaces that volatility with a stable excise tax that keeps local revenues whole over time, ensures host communities see real economic benefits, and reduces local opposition to clean energy projects we need to meet our climate goals.

We’re also seeing misinformation around the Millionaires Tax, often framed as a broad income tax or a threat to economic stability. It applies only to annual income above $1 million, impacting less than one percent of households and is designed to make our regressive tax system fairer while funding schools, health care, and essential services, all while cutting taxes for working families and small businesses.

Moving Washington Forward on Climate and Resilience

I’ve also been actively working to strengthen and maintain the Climate Commitment Act (CCA). There has been lots of misinformation, but I feel confident that the people of Washington are supportive because of the voters overwhelmingly rejecting the repeal effort. The CCA requires large polluters to pay for carbon pollution and dedicates the revenue – more than $3 billion so far, to emissions reductions and climate resilience.

Those investments are visible statewide: clean transportation, energy-efficient buildings, wildfire smoke mitigation, and community resilience projects (many in overburdened communities). Bills like Campus Decarbonization (HB 2330) build on this work by ensuring capital funds are prioritized transparently, based on measurable energy savings, emissions reductions, and long-term cost savings at state campuses.

We’re also addressing the real impacts of climate change on households through Wildfire Safe Home Grants (HB 2407). This bipartisan effort helps homeowners afford proven, science-based retrofits that reduce wildfire risk, stabilize insurance availability, and protect families without expanding government or increasing costs for working people.

When we strip away the noise, these policies are how we meet our environmental goals, strengthen local resilience, and make sure those who profit most contribute to a more sustainable future for everyone.

Upcoming Town Halls

This Saturday, please join Sen. Lovelett, Rep. Lekanoff and me at the Mt. Vernon Library Commons, from 11 am – 12 pm, for a community town hall! If you can’t make it, next Wednesday, we will be hosting a telephone town hall you can call into. These are great opportunities to discuss bills moving through the legislative process and issues affecting our community. You can learn more about how to participate in my recent video. I hope to see many of you there!