Name: Brian Pruiett

Town: Carlsborg

Party: Republican

Education: Command and General Staff College; bachelor of science in agriculture

Employment or business background:

Dual Retiree — U.S. Army and Federal Civil Service

• Natural Resource Specialist,

• Supervisory Human Resource Specialist

• Currently a small business real estate investor and home rehab business/organic hobby farmer

Endorsements: (Please limit the number of endorsements to 3)

William Armacost, mayor of Sequim; Jim McEntire, former Clallam County commissioner; Dr. Phil Fernandes, International Society of Christian Apologetics Vice President, Trinity Bible Fellowship Senior Pastor

Questions

1. We’ve had an updated revenue forecast for almost a month and we know more about the financial and social impacts of COVID-19. Is it time for the Legislature to have a special session to address budget and other issues?

It is past time for Legislature to call a special session but controlling Democrats will block that, to instead use up the last of our rainy day reserves and count on asking President Trump to send billions more. A far better solution would have been to actually furlough state workers one day per week and immediately cut costs in March on the date he shut down small businesses. But instead, the governor kept spending money unchecked and our legislators refused to hold him accountable. There will not be a special session, so instead there will be a move by Democrats to implement severe tax increases, more fuel taxes, and others, as COVID19 rages into 2021.

2. Because of Covid-19, the state will lose billions of dollars in revenue over this biennium and next, much more than is in the current rainy day fund. Balancing the budget will mean cuts and/or raising taxes. What are your thoughts on whether to cut spending or raise revenue?

We must cut state spending. I will not vote for state income or new carbon tax. Small businesses in our district have been unfairly discriminated against by the Governor’s decree while big box stores were allowed to remain open. I say that is an unconstitutional discriminatory practice. Republican legislators repeatedly tried to limit the new $12 billion in taxes pushed through by Steve Tharinger. Tharinger’s voting record shows he refused to listen and voted with Seattle influence for so many new taxes. Whose money do you propose to take from them for even more taxes? I am against any new taxes and for some relief from property taxes. The state must reduce costs and Legislature must demand auditing to eliminate excess costs so a budget can be balanced.

3. If the Legislature has to raise taxes to balance the budget, which segments of the economy should see the increases.

My years of military experience and working in a destroyed Afghanistan, along with my federal civil service experience give me the needed team building and budget management experience to work with our citizens and government to get us back on the road to financial recovery, while continuing to fight this pandemic. The state schools superintendent refuses to take the steps to return authority to our local school boards while downloading all the responsibility for our impacted youth who are now left with dismal prospects. We need to truly establish an option choice for trade school qualification during high school that enables 18 year-olds to immediately start earning a decent living if they decide not to go to college. Did you know Walmart was hiring truck drivers at $72,000 per year just last year, and it is legal for 18 year-olds to hold a CDL and work within a state boundary? Did you know 18 year-olds with an apprentice certification can earn up to $30 dollars per hour in some trades? Don’t kick kids to the curb with a diploma and no job prospects. But do not raise taxes. Revitalize education within a budget.

4. Is there a need for policing reform? If so, what are some of the issues that need addressing?

One county sheriff told me there is a need for law enforcement supervisors to have a good process to fire bad employees. That is a good place to start. Meanwhile our full law enforcement community is under siege and as a Veteran I stand with my sisters and brothers in Blue. I think that Seattle is one of the most ridiculous, dangerous places in the nation at this time, as they cut back the force of those who stand between the pillaging arsonists and our homes and safety. A critical need is for sentencing of violent criminals to stay in jail while they wait for trial, not allowing them to get out to victimize more people and attack police officers.

5. What is the most pressing need in your district and what can the Legislature do to address it?

Economic justice for our small businesses and medical institutions is our most pressing issue, but education is a very close second. Legislature owes a tax holiday to our small businesses wherein they should be relieved of B&O taxes on a day-for-day pro-rata basis. For every day they were closed by governor’s decree, they must be allowed a business day free of B&O taxes. We owe it to them because they were driven so deep into debt and it impacted owners, employees, customers who needed the services, and all of their collective families. Piling more debt on them by forcing them to take out more loans just hurts them. It doesn’t help.