WASHINGTON STATE

Washington State House Democrats

HOUSE DEMOCRATS

Rep. Blake’s Legislative Update for March 7, 2014

We are less than one week away from the end of this short legislative session and there is a lot to report on. First, all House & Senate passed budgets are available on fiscal.wa.gov and LEAP.

Operating Budget

Capital Budget

Transportation Budget


Watch My Video Update!

 Nieto, Lilia In this video update I talk about the $9 million allocation for the Coastal Restoration Initiative that was included in the House Capital Budget and the $1 million Emergency Food Assistance Program allocation in the Operating Budget.

Meet my 2014 staff!

 From Left to Right: Representative Brian Blake, Page Aaron Dyer, Intern Brandon Wood, and Legislative Assistant JD Rossetti

Every year, I sponsor students to serve as pages, and I host an intern.  It is quite a privilege and an honor to work with these talented students.  Pages assist me with day to day tasks like mail and message deliveries.   They are certainly a critical part of the legislative process.  Aaron is a student at Miller Junior High School in Aberdeen.

Interns have the opportunity to join us in Olympia in January to learn more about public policy and government.  Brandon is a student at The Evergreen State College and has assisted my staff on various projects throughout the legislative session.  After his internship with the House of Representative, Brandon will continue his studies.  My Legislative Assistant and I wish Aaron and Brandon all the best on their next academic endeavors.


Education, mental-health treatment, and child care focus of House supplemental budget

Green Apple on Books Darren Hester

The supplemental budget proposed by the House makes adjustments to state services that are necessary due to things like increased prison populations, more students in public schools, and forest fires, floods and other disasters needing state assistance.

But it also makes additional targeted investments in areas like K-12 education and mental health treatment.  The need to address these issues have been well-covered by the media: the State Supreme Court’s most recent McCleary order for example, and the tragedies involving untreated mental illnesses.

Here are some key points in our proposal:

  • Adds $60 million for books, supplies and technology (MSOC) which is part of our obligation to fully-fund our schools.
  • Funds child care family home collective bargaining agreement.
  • Improves community mental health services and services at the state hospitals.
  • Provides $8.2 million to develop intensive mental health services for high-needs youth.
  • Gives counties some flexible funding to respond to mental health needs.
  • Improves the WorkFirst program by using TANF grant savings to improve client services and program infrastructure.

This is a responsible proposal that makes some progress toward our basic education obligation and is balanced over the next four years.


But is it enough?

We are facing a $2 billion hole next year in education funding if we are to meet our paramount duty to provide our children with a basic education.

Besides the budget described above, the House also introduced a modest proposal to close four (out of 650) tax preferences and redirect those resources to two areas of education:

Restore the voter-approved cost-of-living-increases for public school teachers.

Fund the Early Start Act of 2014 to ensure that at-risk children get high quality early learning opportunities that help them arrive at kindergarten ready to learn.

Here is more information on the tax preferences that are being suggested for closure and the Early Start Act of 2014.

Instead of beginning to roll back ineffective and costly tax exemptions, the Senate proposal adds and extends over 20 tax preferences – a plan that will cost taxpayers $250 million over the next four years.  I think that is the wrong approach for our kids and our families.


The happy state of Washington

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Are you happy?  Several publications are calling Washington one of the happiest of the 50 states. According to The Fiscal Times, we come in at a healthy No. 9. The two Dakotas, Nebraska, Minnesota and Montana make up the top five.

These latest Happy States standings are based on “more than 178,000 interviews with adults throughout 2014, tracking such factors as life evaluation, emotional health, work environment, physical health, healthy behaviors, and basic necessities.” America’s five “Most Miserable States” — in descending order of contentedness — are Ohio, Alabama, Mississippi, Kentucky, and West Virginia.

Also see:

The 10 Happiest States in America (March 3, 2014).

Gallup Publishes 2013 Well-Being Ranks: Where Does Your State Fall? (Feb. 23, 2014).


ASK BRIAN

 In this episode of ASK BRIAN I respond to constituents emails on House Bill 1285, about attorneys for foster children and youth so their voices can be heard in court, and House Bill 2537, the Fair Tenant Screening Act.

As session wraps up, I am looking forward to returning to District and reaching out to our communities. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if there is something we can help you with.

Sincerely,

Blakesig