Reps. Stephanie McClintock, John Ley, Ed Orcutt and Peter Abbarno leads discussion in Battle Ground

By Tim Martinez, Columbian Assistant Sports Editor

Published: May 3, 2025, 4:22pm

Updated: May 5, 2025, 10:16am

BATTLE GROUND — Taxes were first and foremost on the minds of constituents Saturday during a town hall held by four Republican state legislators.

Reps. Stephanie McClintock and John Ley of the 18th Legislative District were joined by Reps. Ed Orcutt and Peter Abbarno from the 20th District to discuss the recently concluded 2025 legislative session, which Ley said included “the largest tax increase in the history of the state of Washington.”

“At the end of day, this is about your money and how you want it spent or not spent,” Ley said during the event, which was held at Battle Ground City Hall.

Saturday’s attendees raised concerns about rising property taxes and insurance costs.

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Abbarno said the paramount duty of the state is basic education, and the state should do more to make sure communities in need receive funding, instead of passing it off onto local taxpayers.

“There are so many taxes that were intended to be left in the community or put back in the community that just get swept up by Olympia in General Fund-type things,” Abbarno said. “So I think what we’re seeing is school levies and school bonds failing not because people are opposed to public schools … but because it’s like death by a thousand cuts. Taxes are so high on the other stuff that aren’t priorities that the priorities are falling behind like basic education.”