OLYMPIA: Representative Jeff Morris (D-Mount Vernon) received a very prestigious high-five from the business community earlier this week. The Association of Washington Business presented Rep. Morris with a 2011 Cornerstone Award for his support of business in the legislature. In order to earn the Cornerstone Award, a lawmaker must support business-friendly legislation at least 80% of the time.
“I’m proud to have an 82 percent voting record with business and an 80 percent lifetime voting record with organized labor*. It shows that the agendas for special-interest groups are not always mutually exclusive,” said Rep Morris. “It’s great to be in that voting record sweet spot of 70 to 80 percent. Anytime you get to 100 percent it shows that maybe you do not have an open mind on policy questions.”
Last legislative session Rep. Morris led efforts to reform our state’s costly workers compensation system. The changes protect the integrity of the worker’s compensation program, while saving the state over $1 billion in the next four years alone. He also supported changes to the unemployment insurance program that provide permanent tax relief to most employers in our state, as well as a temporary benefit to most jobless workers.
“A thriving private sector is imperative to our economic recovery, stabilization and eventual growth,” added Rep. Morris. “I’m proud to support public policy that improves the business climate in our state, and I’m thankful to the Association of Washington Business for this honor.”
Rep. Morris was presented the award on March 20th, 2012 at the Capital Campus in Olympia by AWB Vice President of Government Affairs Gary Chandler.
“Last year was an important legislative year for Washington’s economy,” said Chandler. “Without legislators like Rep. Morris, none of the vital reforms we made such as workers’ compensation and unemployment insurance would have happened.”
*Figure reflects the most recent published report on lifetime voting records from the Washington State Labor Council