WASHINGTON STATE

Washington State House Democrats

HOUSE DEMOCRATS

Rep. Sells’ e-memo – Jan 24, 2011

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January 24, 2011
Legislative Update

2011 supplemental budget

The House Ways and Means committee passed a supplemental budget on Wednesday, and we will be considering it on the House floor Monday, January 24th.  This is the earliest the House has acted on a budget bill that anyone here can remember, and illustrates the serious nature of the cuts that are going to have to be made to balance the budget.

Everything in the budget has its supporters, and we’re hearing from many of them every single day.  However, we recognize that our state is facing a real problem and it’s our responsibility to tackle it as early in the session as we can.

Here is more information about the House proposal.  Further changes will likely be made next week, and then the budget will be on its way to the Senate.

Help is on the way for those facing foreclosure

Our state is among many in the nation that continue to struggling in this Great Recession. One of the most unfortunate by-products of a depressed economy is that thousands of families cannot pay their mortgages and are at risk of losing their homes.

A couple of years ago we passed a law that requires the lender and homeowner to “meet and confer” before proceeding with foreclosure, but we’ve learned this is not happening in most cases. So this year, we’re following up with HB 1362, which would strengthen that requirement by making strategic changes to the existing law.

The most important change is that the meeting must be in person and the lender must work together with the homeowner to consider other options. If no agreement is reached during that meeting, the homeowner can request a foreclosure mediation to explore all the possibilities to avoid foreclosure, such as a loan modification.

This approach has been tried in other states and is working well. In Nevada, for instance, nearly nine out of ten have avoided foreclosure. This system is certainly worth trying in our state.

The bill is scheduled for a public hearing before the Judiciary Committee next Wednesday, January 26 in House Hearing Room A at 8:00 AM.

Department of Revenue launches temporary amnesty program

Here’s a bit of good news for businesses that have fallen behind in their taxes during these tough economic times.  The state Department of Revenue has a temporary amnesty program that could result in interest and penalties on unpaid taxes to be waived for those trying to catch up. 

If you owe state business and occupation (B&O) tax, state public utility tax, or state or local sales and use tax that was due before February 1, 2011, you may be eligible for the program.

This could especially advantageous for businesses that are unregistered or have outgrown the active non-reporting status.

If you are interested in the amnesty program, go to PayMyTax.org and request a quote. The quote will let you know what you would owe and how much you would save by participating in the program.

January 27 is Homeless Awareness Day in Washington

Gov. Chris Gregoire is proclaiming January 27, 2011, to be Homeless Awareness Day in Washington.  This is the day that caring volunteers in communities across our state will fan out to conduct the annual Point in Time Count of the Homeless in Washington.  To help raise awareness of homelessness and how we can help, the House Community Development & Housing Committee will hold a special work session at 10 A.M. on The Realities of Homelessness in Washington.  The event will feature state and national experts and people who’ve experienced the realities of homelessness, and will be broadcast and webcast live on TVW.

I hope you’ll take time on January 27th, and other days, to give thought to the homeless men, women and children in our state, and to consider their struggles with compassion; for these are our fellow Washingtonians.

CERT volunteers

If there is anything that could make a difference in a neighborhood’s ability to cope with a disaster, having a great group of trained CERT volunteers (Community Emergency Response Team) would be a big step in the right direction. Classes are starting soon, so sign up now using the attached CERT application. The 8 week schedule of classes is also attached. Free training!

Who depends on You?  Your pets…your elders…your kids…?  Through CERT classes, you can become better prepared and help your family plan ahead for disasters. You can also help your neighbors and co-workers cope better with a disaster. 

We need more CERT volunteers all over Everett, but we most need volunteers in these neighborhoods: Evergreen, Lowell, Glacier View, Valley View and Westmont. 

Fill out the application and send it in today!  And recruit your neighbors!  For more information, contact Renee Darnell, Everett Emergency Management, 425 257-8111. The deadline for accepting applications is February 11th.  Participants must be at least 16 years of age.

In This Issue
Supplemental Budget
Foreclosures
Amnesty Program

Homeless awareness

CERT volunteers
Contact
MAIL
132B Legislative Building
PO Box 40600
Olympia, WA 98504-0600
PHONE
(360) 786-7840
1 (800) 562.6000 toll free
1 (800) 635-9993 TTY-TDD (hearing impaired)
EMAIL
sells.mike@leg.wa.gov
WEBSITE
My home page