OLYMPIA – Amidst some good-natured ribbing from his House colleagues, state Rep. Steve Tharinger (D-Sequim) passed his first piece of legislation today on the House floor.
House Bill 1596, which Tharinger sponsored, gives local governments greater flexibility in fiscal decisions by removing the state mandate that their ambulance utilities be paid out of their general funds.
“Cities know their budgets better than the state,” Tharinger said. “Rather than being forced to fund one service at a particular rate, at the expense of other services, they should be able to decide how to allocate funding.”
There are currently 11 city-funded ambulance utilities across the state, several of which are in Tharinger’s district. The state does not require any other city-operated utilities, such as water or sewer, to be funded from a city’s general fund.
Tharinger also noted that citizens have more say under his legislation, because it requires a “very public process” if a city decides to reduce its general fund allocation to the ambulance utility.
The measure could provide some budget relief to cities that are cutting services while still meeting the state’s requirement for funding the utility. For example, the city of Pasco’s current required allocation is equivalent to six law enforcement officers.
The bill passed on a bipartisan vote, but not before Tharinger’s colleagues had a little fun at his expense. It is a House tradition that when a freshman legislator’s first bill is up for a vote on the House floor, other legislators give speeches in opposition and pretend they are going to vote against it. At the last minute, they switch their votes.
During the ribbing, one legislator complained that Tharinger’s bill “…leaves county governments out” and that it was almost as if Tharinger “…didn’t have an appreciation for county government.” Another legislator said that letting local governments make those decisions would “…sell ourselves short.”
Tharinger was a good sport about it, and after the bill’s passage his seatmate, Rep. Kevin Van De Wege (D-Sequim), rose to congratulate him. House members then broke into applause.
The bill now heads to the Senate for consideration.
The House was in session today for its first Saturday floor session, and will next convene on Monday, February 28, 2011.