Republican legislators in Southwest Washington have a clear objective heading into the 2025 legislative session: slash spending and go back to basics. The legislators spoke Thursday at the Hilton Vancouver Washington hosted by the Greater Vancouver Chamber, Identity Clark County and the Columbia River Economic Development Council. Business leaders convene the event each year to hear directly from legislators representing the 17th, 18th, 20th and 49th districts regarding their priorities for the upcoming session. Three of the region’s Democrats — newly elected 18th District Sen. Adrian Cortes, and 49th District Reps. Monica Stonier and Rep. Sharon Wylie — were absent. That left 49th District Sen. Annette Cleveland as the lone Democrat on the panel. Newly elected Republican Reps. David Stuebe of the 17th District and John Ley of the 18th District also were absent. The event’s organizers listed economic development, public safety, infrastructure, workforce development and education as the Southwest Washington business community’s top priorities.

“I think all of us will champion these priorities one way or another no matter what committee we’re in,” said Rep. Peter Abbarno, R-Centralia. Budget woes The Republican legislators emphasized reducing spending to fill a $10 billion to $12 billion state budget gap over the next four-year period. Pat Sullivan, director of the state Office of Financial Management, wrote to legislators in November urging them to take measures that “will result in immediate savings.” On Tuesday, outgoing Gov. Jay Inslee imposed a spending freeze due to the deficit. Many on the panel criticized Democrats for spending money on new initiatives over the past few years.

“We need to stop the wish list, because we need to get back to … the basic core of government,” said Sen. Paul Harris, R-Vancouver. Cleveland said the growing budget reflects growing community needs to address issues like housing and the fentanyl crisis. “I want to ensure that we do not do anything to negate the work we have done over the past four to five years,” she said. When asked whether a new governor and an influx of freshman legislators concerns them, panel members said they feel hopeful and that they’ll strive for bipartisanship.

Harris said he was encouraged to hear Washington’s Democratic Gov.-elect Bob Ferguson say the government cannot tax its way out of the deficit. “I think he has reached across the aisle. … I think we’ll work together very well,” Harris said. Deregulation To spur economic development, the Legislature needs to deregulate businesses, the Republican legislators stressed. Rep. Ed Orcutt, R-Kalama, said he opposes a 1 percent real estate transfer tax on any portion of a home sold for more than $3,025,000 — a key component of a House bill meant to fund affordable housing projects that failed last session. He said he also opposes the Association of Washington Cities’ request that the 1 percent property tax collections cap increase to 3 percent.

“We should not be raising taxes to solve a problem created by overspending,” Orcutt said. Abbarno said the Legislature has to stop passing cookie-cutter policies, such as energy code updates, that can have varied effects on different communities. “They keep passing more regressive policies, which don’t ignite development in the state of Washington,” Abbarno said. Public safety Legislators on the panel pointed to curbing fentanyl and modernizing correctional facilities as top priorities.

Harris called the Clark County Jail “tragic.” “There is no rehab going on there,” he said. “I was awestruck by what was not going on there and what was.” Rep. Stephanie McClintock, R-Vancouver, agreed that the Clark County Jail needs modernizing. She also stressed the need for more law enforcement. She supports finding a permanent home for the regional law enforcement training academy that opened in January in Vancouver. Harris said fentanyl and homelessness have caused much suffering in the community. He often receives calls from the Fred Meyer off of Southeast Mill Plain Boulevard in east Vancouver complaining about the homeless camp near the parking lot. “That never happened in my first 12 years as a legislator,” Harris said. Increasing housing supply will require increasing density and opening new land for development through the state Growth Management Act, said Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia.

Although infrastructure was a key priority for the organizers of the event, legislators were largely mum on the subject. Only Cleveland brought up the Interstate 5 Bridge replacement project, promising to continue her support. The legislative session convenes Jan. 13 and ends April 27.