GOP House Floor Leader Rep. Jacquelin Maycumber (7th LD) joins us for this week’s newsmaker interview. Rep. Maycumber highlights successes and disappointments of the 2024 legislative session. She also expands on her advocacy for property tax relief and her perspective on the challenges faced by law enforcement due to anti-police policies. Finally, she outlines her commitment to empowering parents in education and shares aspirations for her run for U.S. Congress in the 5th Congressional District.
What do you view as the top three successes of the 2024 legislative session so far?
After years of bad policy and ignoring the people of the state of Washington, the majority party finally agreed to have hearing on three of the six initiatives. Initiative 2113, police pursuit would restore vehicular pursuit options to our law enforcement officers. In 2021, Democrats put limitations on law enforcements’ ability to pursue criminals. It has an immediate, negative impact on our communities. As a result, our state ranks at or near the top in retail theft, property crime and auto theft. A vehicle has been a “get out of jail free card.”
Initiative 2111 would prohibit state and local personal income taxes. The people of Washington have voted against a state income tax several times. I agree and I am listening, more of your hard-earned dollars don’t need to go to the state.
And finally, HB 1589, decarbonization or the “natural gas ban” stalling on the Senate Floor. Washington state needs a reliable electric grid and natural gas serves as an affordable choice. Removing this choice, creates strain on the already stressed energy grid and increases costs on people.
What do you view as the top three disappointments of the 2024 legislative session so far?
Many bills that passed this year put criminals above victims. For example, HB 2001 allows judges to reduce sentences of convicted criminals. Crime has skyrocketed and now these policies release violent offenders onto our streets. HB 1268 eliminates sentencing enhancements for gang related felonies with a firearm or deadly weapons. These bills and others are releasing criminals from jail before they have served their time or made restitution to the victims. When you are less safe than you have been in decades.
Unfortunately, my policy HB 2324, creating a narcotics taskforce will fund a law enforcement to protect our families and communities from drugs like fentanyl, the bill did not move out of the House. Shockingly, SB 6109 had an amendment that would have protected children being exposed to fentanyl by drug addicted parents, did NOT pass. If you are a firefighter and are exposed to fentanyl you must be given a respirator, gloves and are protected under L&I. However, children are not protected and left in the homes.
My greatest concern to our American sovereignty is SB 6058, Carbon Market Linkage. This bill allows elite unelected international bureaucrats in California and Quebec to determine climate commitment act tax on your fuel, food, and energy. The Governor stated that the impact of CCA would be pennies when economists warned us it would be $.50 and more. With costs skyrocketing we cannot put our food, fuel, and energy costs in an unelected international group. In addition, the law states agriculture is exempt. Over a year later, our farmers are paying these excessive fuel costs, thus hurting them in a global market and increasing your food bill every day.
To increase affordability, you are a strong advocate for property tax relief. Can you highlight the policies Democrats have pursued which have increased property taxes and how those policies impact your constituents? Is there a means to roll back some of these property taxes, given the majority Democrats’ demonstrated opposition to reducing taxes?
SB 5770 would triple the growth rate for state and local property taxes by lifting the tax lid from 1% to 3%. People are already struggling to stay in their homes with the increasing cost of fuel, food, and energy. Voters set the limit to 1% in 2001 by I-747, protecting people from increasing property taxes. Private property rights are one of the most important rights in this nation.
It’s impossible to making housing more affordable by increasing the taxes of homes. HB 2276, increasing the Real Estate Excise Tax rate, affects those who can afford it the least, renters, low income, and multi-family housing. These policies continue to burden our fixed income, families, and our next generation homeowners.
From your perspective as a former law enforcement officer, how have the Democrats’ anti-law enforcement policies impacted morale in police departments across our state? How can our state address the challenge of ranking last in the nation for the number of police officers per thousand people?
As a former law enforcement officer, it is the greatest honor to put on the uniform and defend the most vulnerable of our society. The police reform bills and the political destruction of our profession resulted in the already over worked, lowest per capita officers/population in the nation, reach crisis mode. These policies tied the hands of those who protect us with their lives. As a result, crime has skyrocketed and families and communities have become victims; violent crime has increased 19%, homicide 61%, aggravated assaults 29%, and motor vehicle theft 73%. The challenges made by the Ds police reform had made an already demanding profession more difficult and stressful. First fix police reform, give them the tools to do the job, respect and continue to ensure the compensation and benefits reflect the important role law enforcement officers have in our community.
You have stated your commitment to empowering parents to have a say in their children’s education and a right to know what is being taught in public classrooms. Given the majority Democrats’ resistance to measures that increase parental involvement and transparency in classroom curriculum, what do you see as the path forward for parents?
Initiative 2081, Parents Bill of Rights, would increase transparency and build trust in our public schools is on the ballot in November. Parents are the most important stakeholder in their child’s education and must have control over what their child is being taught. Washington state’s children’s test scores have fallen nationally. We need to return education to its primary purpose, prepare children for the job market. My policy that was recently signed into law, pre-apprenticeship in high school, has begun connecting students with skill sets and businesses while in high school. On the federal level we need to reign in the department of education’s arrogance and return their focus to supporting the local school districts.
You recently launched a campaign to succeed retiring U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers in Washington’s 5th Congressional District. What inspired your run for Congress, and what do you hope to achieve as a U.S. representative?
I was inspired to run for Congress to make sure our children have a better life than we did. One of my children are on their way to college and the other two are still in school. They have less money. They are less safe. And, they have less freedom than we did.
My primary focus will be on ensuring our nations safety, by securing our borders, thereby protecting our economy and communities from the threats of human trafficking and the influx of narcotics like fentanyl. We are losing a generation of children from the effects of this devastating drug.
The Snake River dams are vital for our region’s economy, energy production and irrigation. Our district has some of the most fertile lands in North America. As a 4th generation farmer, I know what it means to work hard, get results, and never give up. I will continue to build on our strong agricultural heritage. I promise to protect our farms from the governmental overreach in DC.
Lastly, someone who has grown up in real world and dirt, there’s something wrong with what’s DC is doing to the next generation and the National Debt. We need to act.
Which political figure has most inspired your approach to public service?
Margret Thatcher the “Iron Lady” was also a chemist and the first woman to lead her party. I admire her unwavering strength focus on individual liberty and freedom. As the House Republican Floor Leader, I have learned one must be the calm in chaos.
A class act, a conviction conservative, an effective fighter, said by someone who disagrees with her much of the time.