Home | About Travis | News & Media | Email Updates | The Ledger | Contact
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
I hope you and your family enjoyed the summer. Like many of you, my family has been busy with back-to-school shopping — and feeling the sting of how much more expensive those supply lists have become.
One way we could have helped families was with my bipartisan proposal for a back-to-school sales tax holiday. That bill would have saved the average family about $85 at the checkout stand. Unfortunately, the majority party blocked it. Every little bit helps when you’re stretching a family budget, and I’ll keep fighting for practical relief like this.
Affordability challenges don’t stop there. Earlier this month, I learned from the nonpartisan Office of Program Research that the budget passed last session cut $782 million from Medicaid. Ninety-five percent of those cuts will hit our most vulnerable neighbors — low-income families, people with disabilities, and seniors in long-term care. On top of that, hospitals will face both new taxes and program cuts starting in 2025, costs that will ripple out to affect all medical care in Washington, not just Medicaid patients.
As the House Republican budget lead, I’ll be working hard in the 2026 session to push for real solutions that make life more affordable for working families while protecting essential services.
On a brighter note, I had the honor of joining Mason County PUD No. 1 for the ribbon-cutting on their new water construction project in the Vuecrest neighborhood of Union. This project opens up long-delayed water connections and adds capacity that residents have needed for years. My seatmates and I were proud to partner with Mason County and others to secure funding and get this across the finish line.
I’ll share more updates soon, but in the meantime, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me with your questions, concerns, or ideas. Hearing directly from you is the best way I can represent our district.
Travis Couture
