Camas resident Gary Perman warns that ‘there’s a quiet but aggressive push underway that threatens to make living and working in Washington even more unaffordable’

Editor’s note: Opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are those of the author alone and do not reflect the editorial position of ClarkCountyToday.com

I want to publicly thank Representative John Ley for his immediate transparency and dedication to keeping Southwest Washingtonians informed about how our tax dollars are being spent.

There’s a quiet but aggressive push underway that threatens to make living and working in Washington even more unaffordable. We’re already the fourth most expensive state to live in, and here in Camas, between the state’s increasing taxes, new local fees, and a proposed new Fire Authority, we are TAX EXHAUSTED!

Thank you, Rep. Ley, for standing up and working to protect the hardworking residents of Southwest Washington. Your efforts to shed light on these issues are greatly appreciated.

Gary Perman
Camas

---

Also read:

• 
  These new laws and taxes take effect in Washington state on Jan. 1
  Several new laws and tax increases passed in 2025 take effect Jan. 1 in Washington, impacting unemployment benefits, business taxes, transportation fees, consumer costs and regulatory requirements.
• 
  Opinion: Justice for none – Court hands down a mandate without a dime to fund it
  Nancy Churchill argues that a Washington Supreme Court ruling on public defense imposes costly mandates on local governments without providing funding to implement them.
• 
  Deportations, tariffs, court clashes, record shutdown mark a historic year in Washington, D.C.
  A year marked by deportations, tariffs, court battles, and a record federal shutdown reshaped Washington, D.C., during President Donald Trump’s return to office.
• 
  Opinion: The progressive attack on Washington’s sheriffs
  Nancy Churchill argues that proposed legislation would shift power over county sheriffs away from voters and concentrate control within state government.
• 
  VIDEO: WA GOP budget lead blasts Ferguson’s fiscal plan as ‘a complete joke’
  Republican lawmakers sharply criticized Gov. Bob Ferguson’s proposed 2026 supplemental budget, arguing it fails to meet Washington’s four-year balanced budget requirement and masks deeper fiscal problems.