Clallam County GOP

10/31/2026

🌲 𝗦𝗔𝗟𝗘𝗦 𝗧𝗔𝗫, 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗧𝗬 𝗧𝗔𝗫, 𝗧𝗜𝗠𝗕𝗘𝗥 𝗧𝗔𝗫. 𝗛𝗢𝗪 𝗠𝗔𝗡𝗬 𝗧𝗔𝗫𝗘𝗦 𝗛𝗘𝗟𝗣 𝗣𝗔𝗬 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗦𝗖𝗛𝗢𝗢𝗟𝗦?

𝗣𝗔𝗥𝗧 𝟯 𝗢𝗙 𝟰 | Understanding School Funding

In our last post, we learned that Washington spent an average of $19,371 per student in the 2024–25 school year.

Now let's look at where much of that money originates.

𝗙𝗜𝗥𝗦𝗧, 𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗘'𝗦 𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗧𝗘 𝗧𝗔𝗫𝗘𝗦.

🛒 𝗦𝗔𝗟𝗘𝗦 𝗧𝗔𝗫

Every time you purchase taxable goods or services, part of the sales tax goes to the state.

State sales tax revenue helps fund education along with other government services.

🏢 𝗕𝗨𝗦𝗜𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗦 & 𝗢𝗖𝗖𝗨𝗣𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗧𝗔𝗫

Washington businesses pay B&O taxes, generally based on gross business revenue rather than profits.

This revenue helps support the state budget, including education.

🏠 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗪𝗜𝗗𝗘 𝗦𝗖𝗛𝗢𝗢𝗟 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗧𝗬 𝗧𝗔𝗫

Property owners pay a statewide tax designated to help fund public schools.

This money goes into the state general fund and is distributed through Washington's school funding system.

𝗡𝗢𝗪 𝗟𝗘𝗧'𝗦 𝗧𝗔𝗟𝗞 𝗔𝗕𝗢𝗨𝗧 𝗦𝗢𝗠𝗘𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗘𝗦𝗣𝗘𝗖𝗜𝗔𝗟𝗟𝗬 𝗜𝗠𝗣𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗔𝗡𝗧 𝗜𝗡 𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗥𝗨𝗥𝗔𝗟 𝗖𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗧𝗜𝗘𝗦.

🌲 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗧𝗜𝗠𝗕𝗘𝗥 𝗘𝗫𝗖𝗜𝗦𝗘 𝗧𝗔𝗫

Washington generally collects a 5% excise tax based on the value of timber harvested from public and private lands.

That tax is divided:

• 1 percentage point goes to the state's general fund.
• 4 percentage points go to the county where the timber was harvested, for distribution under state law.

Eligible school districts and other local taxing districts receive portions of that county revenue.

🌲 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗧𝗘 𝗧𝗥𝗨𝗦𝗧 𝗟𝗔𝗡𝗗𝗦

Here's another important source that shouldn't be overlooked.

Washington's Department of Natural Resources manages public trust lands that generate revenue through timber sales and other activities.

Some lands were specifically established to help pay for school construction.

Other trust lands provide money for counties and local services, including schools, fire districts, libraries and roads.

𝗜𝗡 𝗢𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗥 𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗗𝗦:

Our working forests do more than provide jobs and wood products.

They can also help fund public education and essential local services.

And there are still other state taxes and revenues supporting education, including certain dedicated taxes and lottery proceeds.

𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗘'𝗦 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗗𝗜𝗙𝗙𝗘𝗥𝗘𝗡𝗖𝗘.

Some of this money goes into the state's general fund, where the Legislature appropriates funding for education and other services.

Other revenue is legally designated for particular purposes, such as school construction.

These funding sources overlap with the state and local school revenues we discussed in Part 1. They are not additional money to simply add on top of those percentages.

𝗦𝗢 𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗘'𝗦 𝗔 𝗤𝗨𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗧𝗜𝗠𝗕𝗘𝗥 𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗠𝗨𝗡𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗘𝗦.

When decisions are made about how Washington manages its working forests, shouldn't the financial impact on schools, counties and local services be clearly explained?

And when we discuss education funding, shouldn't timber revenue be part of that conversation?

In Part 4, we'll explain why local districts continue asking voters for additional property taxes.



𝗦𝗢𝗨𝗥𝗖𝗘𝗦:

Washington Department of Revenue, State Tax Structure
https://dor.wa.gov/taxes-rates

Washington Department of Revenue, Forest Tax
https://dor.wa.gov/taxes-rates/other-taxes/forest-tax

Washington DNR, Funding Schools and Services
https://dnr.wa.gov/about-washington-dnr/funding-schools-and-services

Washington Department of Revenue, 2026 Timber Tax Distribution Changes
https://dor.wa.gov/forms-publications/publications-subject/special-notices/legislative-updates-preserving-timber-tax-distribution-school-districts-recent-school-district-levy

10/31/2026

Vote Judge Sean P. O'Donnell !

Maybe the most important clip you will watch this election. Thank you Rod for your friendship and support. If you do anything to help — do this: share this clip far and wide. I’m running for Pos 4 on the Washington State Supreme Court

10/31/2026

Vote Scott Edwards for Washington Supreme Court !

The state Supreme Court should not be political. It is a non-partisan position with a non-partisan role, interpret the constitution and law as written. Unfortunately, political actors are trying to buy the Supreme Court.
Take politics out of the courtroom – Vote Scott Edwards for Washington Supreme Court Pos. 1.

10/31/2026

Join Us Nov 3: Hear from Rob Janicki on the McKinley mill property - https://mailchi.mp/a7d90d800468/paba-news-meeting-tomorrow-13921498

10/31/2026

“We the People.” The opening words of both our United States and Washington State constitutions remind us whom government serves.

As an attorney and CPA, I see how laws, taxes, and government decisions affect families and small businesses. Every voter deserves to be heard, and every person deserves fair treatment under the law.

I’m running for the Washington Supreme Court to uphold the Constitution, respect the people we serve, and bring independent judgment to every case — free from political agendas. I kindly ask for your vote on Tues, November 3.

10/31/2026

Check Your Ballot Status
https://voter.votewa.gov/portal2023/login.aspx

Is there an issue with your ballot?
https://www.clallamcountywa.gov/162/Elections-Voter-Registration

10/31/2026

Judge Larson is endorsed across the political spectrum, but the people who support him do so out of respect for his fierce independence, his character, and his desire to do what is right for all of us.

Judge Dave Larson has said it plainly:

"It doesn't matter who endorses me. My views are the same. If you think you're going to get a decision out of me because you've endorsed me, don't endorse me."

That's the kind of independence Washington deserves on its Supreme Court. Judges should answer to the law and the Constitution, not to the groups that support them or the special interests spending to label them.

Ballots are due Tuesday, November 3rd. Please don't leave the Supreme Court race blank. Vote Judge Dave Larson for Supreme Court, Position 5!

10/31/2026

An analysis of Washington Public Disclosure shows that as of October 28th there has been over $2.2 million dollars spent in Independent Expenditures supporting and opposing candidates running for the Washington State Supreme Court.

Upon further study, almost 55% of that spending was been by Beware the Attack on Our Courts PAC. 63% of their funding has come from public sector unions and liberal special interest groups.

Our courts should serve Washington’s people and the rule of law – not special interests.

No candidate authorized this ad. Paid for by Full Court Press, P.O. Box 481, Tacoma, WA 98401.

10/31/2026

Vote YES

🛡️ Voting YES on I-001 ends secret transitioning in schools and guarantees opt-out rights covering non-federal surveys or specific classroom engagements regarding family morality, political beliefs, or gender identity. While opponents falsely claim this initiative hands records to abusive parents, it actually contains explicit safeguards for vulnerable students to withhold records during active abuse or neglect investigations. As teacher and father Travis Reep noted during a recent KING 5 debate, "Research, clinical studies have shown time and time again, the more that a parent is involved in their child's life, the more successful that child is... Parents deserve to have rights and information to their child". Since every Democrat in the legislature voted to abolish the Parents' Bill of Rights in 2025, it is up to us to ensure families stay involved in these critical decisions. Washington State Republican Party