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The heart of Lewis County — a salute to the 2025 Spring Youth Fair
By The Chronicle Editorial Board As the vibrant colors of spring bloom across Lewis County, the 2025 Spring Youth Fair...
Washington’s 2025 Legislature missed the mark for small businesses
Commentary in the Chronicle As we celebrate Small Business Month this May, it’s with a heavy heart and growing...
Fishing and Hunting in Washington get more expensive!
Update on SB 5583: 38% Increase to Hunting and Fishing Licenses Approved by Legislature Now that the 2025 Legislative...
Stronger Families. Stronger Communities. Stronger Washington.
The newly redistricted 20th District includes a small portion of South Thurston County (West of Bucoda to Interstate 5); Lewis County East of Interstate 5 (including all of Centralia, Chehalis, and Napavine); Cowlitz County East of Interstate 5 (including all of Kalama and Woodland); and parts of Clark County (including all of La Center and Ridgefield) to the City of Vancouver.
To say the least, the 20th District is filled with amazing history and traditions and has a lot of economic potential if we create the right economic atmosphere. Together, let’s get Washington working again for our families and our businesses.
Issues Important to Our Community
How can we make it better?
Affordability
As your representative in the 20th Legislative District, I opposed the largest tax increase in Washington State history.
This is the wrong direction when Washington state already has the 3rd highest cost of living, 4th highest grocery costs, and continues to rank among the least tax competitive states in the nation.
Legislative Democrats promised to “fix” the tax system and they made it worse for working families, seniors, and those who can least afford more costs.
I continue to fight for better priorities, better investments, and relief from unnecessary and burdensome taxes.
This year, the ruling party passed over $12 billion in new and increased taxes! Here are just a few
- HB 2049 – Property tax spikes: 55% increase of local school district property tax levy authority.
- SB 5801 – Gas and transportation taxes: Increases in gas taxes, additional license fees, and more.
- HB 2081 – Business tax increases: Across the board business tax increases and additional punitive business tax surcharges on certain industries.
Public Safety
Washington state has the 3rd highest crime rate in the country and the fewest number of law enforcement officers per capita in the nation. Unfortunately, the ruling party did not help protect our communities in the 2025 legislative session.
During the 2025 session, I supported greater investments in law enforcement, stronger penalties for repeat offenders, more support for victims, and additional pathways for rehabilitation.
On the other hand, Legislative Democrats continued to choose criminals over victims.
This year, the ruling party passed:
1. HB 1815 – reducing sentences for prison riots.
2. SB 5093 – eliminating penalties for concealing births (and deaths).
However, this session was about missed opportunities. Bills to curtail retail and auto theft (HB 1452), put more law enforcement on the streets (HB 1435), better monitor sexually violent predators (HB 1451), and clamp down on fentanyl (HB 1000) and opioid (HB 1092) did not advance.
I will continue to support efforts to deliver safer streets in the 2026 legislative session.
Real Results
Despite the missed opportunities on reducing the cost of living, I was able to pass numerous good policies that will help protect our communities and advance economic development. Here are some victories:
1. HB 1990 – protecting ratepayers and communities by authorizing utility companies to securitize infrastructure after catastrophic events.
2. HB 1039 – authorizing local governments and tribes to coordinate the extension of government services beyond city and urban growth areas to tribal land.
3. HB 1064 – eliminating this expiration of SYNC and enhancing intergovernmental coordination of infrastructure deployment.
4. HB 1003 – addressing service of notice by mail in cases involving forcible entry and unlawful detainer in out of county properties.
In addition to policy, as the assistant ranking member on the House Capital Budget Committee, I was able to help invest more than $81 million into the 20th Legislative District and an additional $75 million for the Office of Chehalis Basin for flood mitigation and habitat restoration.
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Paid for by the Committee to Elect Peter Abbarno, PO Box 94, Centralia, WA 98531 — Designed by The Silver Agency