Dear Neighbors,
The 2012 legislative session is 1/3 over, and we just passed the first major cut-off of the year. Tuesday, January 31, was the last day that non-fiscal House bills can be moved out of committee and be eligible for further action. Many committees met well into the night in order to allow the public an opportunity to testify.
The budget remains the highest priority of the session. As is the norm, our supplemental budget will be released shortly after the next state revenue forecast on February 16th. That forecast will give us the most up-to-date numbers we need to accurately balance the budget.
While the budget committees are busy with their work, other committees have had a full plate as well.
In this e-memo there is a lot of information about what I’ve been working on, but I want to first let you know that I will be a hosting a Town Hall in the district.
Please mark your calendars!
Saturday, February 18
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Social Hall @ Tukwila Community Center
12424 42nd Avenue South Tukwila, WA 98168-2526
Also, please take a moment to watch my latest video update from Olympia.
Washington Investment Trust Update
HB 2434/SB 6310, which creates a publicly owned financial institution to help keep our money in Washington, working for Washingtonians instead of ending up in Wall Street, had public hearings in both the House and the Senate.
The WIT is modeled after the Bank of North Dakota (the only other state owned bank in the country), however the focus of the WIT is much narrower in approach, since it will focus on infrastructure lending to municipal governments and student loans. By focusing on infrastructure projects the Trust would have been able to save hundreds of thousands of dollars in financing and bond expenses. However, neither bill was able to secure enough votes to move out of their respective committees. I will be looking into other ways that we hopefully can make the WIT a reality, so please stay tuned.
Jobs now, jobs tomorrow
In my last update, I talked about some of the structural changes we are working on to encourage job growth in our state. This time, I want to let you know about a plan House and Senate lawmakers are working together on that will quickly create real jobs in every corner of the state – tens of thousands of family wage jobs.
It’s modeled after a successful effort led by former Gov. Dan Evans in the 1970’s. Put simply, it front-loads construction projects already scheduled to be done in future years. It will put thousands and thousands of people to work as early as this spring building the infrastructure that will help build a better economy.
You can read more about the plan and see a list of proposed projects here.
How can we do more with less?
That’s the ultimate question most organizations are constantly trying to answer in this new economy.
In the last three years, revenue shortfalls have forced the legislature to cut over $10 billion in state spending.
Although all state agencies have taken dramatic cuts to their budgets over the last three years, they still have essential functions to perform. They’ve had no choice but to find ways to perform their duties with fewer resources.
This week, we heard how our institutions of higher education have dealt with this difficult challenge and implemented many cuts across their campuses. To site a few examples:
- The University of Washington has reduced its administrative units by sixteen percent. Both UW and WWU have eliminated over 40 academic programs at their campuses.
- Washington State University has eliminated over 1,000 courses from the course catalog and reduced or eliminated 25 degrees.
- Our community and technical colleges have been forced to implement many cuts, but are also becoming more efficient through expanding open course libraries, reducing remedial courses, and streamlining college assessments and placements.
With another $1.5 billion budget shortfall looming, additional cuts will have to be made. We are also continuing to find ways to streamline government, while minimizing the impact of those cuts on the services that the people of the 11th depend on, like education, healthcare, public health, clean water, protecting the environment from industrial pollution, public safety and much more.
Discover Pass tweaks in the works
Washington’s state parks are the jewels of our Evergreen Legacy. But, like all areas of government, they are struggling as a result of budget cuts.
Last session, legislators saved all 120 of our state parks from closure by implementing a new user fee system. Since last July, vehicles entering state parks must display an annual “Discover Pass” (or a day pass) in order to park. While there is some flexibility for those who are only parking momentarily to use the restroom or drop off recyclables, vehicles without a pass can be ticketed.
The intent behind the legislation was to prevent the shuttering of state parks, the majority of which are not self-supporting.
While thousands of Washingtonians have purchased Discover Passes since they became available last summer, these sales haven’t generated enough revenue so far to stave off more cuts to the parks system. So lawmakers are examining possible tweaks to the program that may make it more user-friendly, encourage more people to buy the pass, and keep the gates at our parks open.
Among the proposals being considered are:
- House Bill 2153 to make the Discover Pass more family-friendly by allowing it to be transferable between two vehicles.
- House Bill 2217 to cap the cost of the annual pass at $30.00.
- House Bill 2295 offering a discount to people who purchase the Discover Pass at the same time as they buy their hunting or fishing license and prohibits other agencies from adding additional fees to the cost of the Discover Pass.
- House Bill 2373 does everything the above bills do, plus additional modifications to the law.
I’m interested in hearing your opinion on this issue. Please feel to e-mail or call my office.
Credit Unions are another choice for your tax dollars
One of those “under the radar” issues passed the House this week 86-10. House Bill 1327 allows state or federally chartered credit unions to accept public deposits up to the amount insured but the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund — $250,000. “Public funds” are those moneys paid to or held for the state as well as for counties, cities, agencies, courts, boards, commissions – those types of smaller governments.
Giving credit unions the ability to accept more public deposits allows them to have more lending capacity for its members and small businesses. It also gives local governmental entities the ability to support community credit unions that support and contribute to the local economy.
This legislation now moves to the Senate for their consideration.
Marriage equality
Now, to the biggest story coming out of Olympia this week – the Senate approved a measure that will give same-sex couples in our state the right to marry.
In 2007, 2008 and 2009, the Legislature passed a series of domestic-partnership laws, establishing for same-sex couples registered as domestic partners the basic state rights of all married couples.
Senate Bill 6239 will remove the last remaining obstacle preventing partners from calling themselves married. It would also affirm that gay couples and their children will be recognized in law and community the same as their heterosexual counterparts.
The bill does not require any church or other religious organization to perform same-sex marriages, nor must they allow their church buildings or other facilities to be used to host same-sex ceremonies.
Gay marriage is already legal in Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Vermont, the District of Columbia, and many countries around the world.
Connecting More Families to the Internet
Access to the internet is quickly becoming a necessity for families. Computer and internet skills are key to opportunity and jobs in today’s economy. Moving forward, reliable and quick internet will be tied to health care, public safety, job opportunities and more.
In order to bring internet to more homes with children, internet providers are developing programs to offer low-cost internet. Comcast is offering to families with a child that qualifies for free lunch, and CenturyLink is offering to households using certain benefit programs. Both programs offer basic internet for about $10 a month, a computer for around $150 and training if needed.
You can find out more information on the Comcast program at www.internetessentials.com and the CenturyLink program at www.centurylink.com/home/internetbasics/. Other providers are expected to offer similar programs in the future.