Dear friends and neighbors,
Although things may seem quiet in Olympia, there has been a lot of action during the special session so far. Much of the work has centered on the House and Senate budget writers as they continue hammering out the differences in the 2011-13 operating budget. While there is still more to work out, budget negotiators continue to make progress. For regular budget news updates, you can always check here.
State tax amnesty program gives budget a boost
We did get some good news last week when the state Department of Revenue announced that our state’s recent tax amnesty program generated more than $320 million in state and local back taxes owed by businesses.
We approved the amnesty program during the December 2010 special session to provide relief to struggling businesses while also giving them an incentive to pay back taxes without penalties or interest.
The state’s share is about $264 million, very welcome news as legislators continue working on a $5.1 billion budget problem. When we approved the program we assumed it would generate about $80 million, meaning the “net” increase is about $180 million in unexpected revenue.
While this is certainly good news and improves our bottom line, it does not solve the entire budget problem. Negotiations continue and I will keep you posted as the House and Senate moves closer to an agreement.
Pollution in Samish Bay
Many of you have probably heard about the issue of pollution that is forcing the closure of Samish Bay. High levels of fecal coliform can make the Bay unsafe for shellfish harvest and recreation. Over the past couple of years, major efforts have been undertaken to address this issue, but there is still much work to be done.
This issue has a significant impact to everyone in our region, impacting our farms, businesses and everyone who benefits from clean water. Starting with a meeting with the Governor’s staff and several state agencies last month, I have been attending meetings on this issue. I am working with a number of legislators and many stakeholders representing environmental, agricultural and business interests in our community to find a solution that will work for everyone.
There’s lots of additional information available on the Clean Samish Initiative website.
An update on my legislation
In the past couple of weeks, the Governor has signed several of my bills into law. Here are a few of the highlights:
- HB 1306 will help agribusiness by removing the expiration date for exempting applicants who operate commercial motor vehicles for agribusiness purposes from certain commercial driver’s license requirements.
- HB 1582 is a permit streamlining effort to help keep small forest landowners practicing forestry and to save money for the counties and clear up jurisdictional questions.
- HB 1698 will improve recreational fishing opportunities in Puget Sound.
- SB 5072, for which I sponsored the House companion bill, authorizes the Department of Agriculture to accept gifts which will fund a number of WSAD programs including food banks.
I am honored to have had support for these pieces of legislation that will benefit the people of the 40th District and the state of Washington.
As our work continues through special session and into the interim, I appreciate all of the input that I receive. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and for passing along your support.
Regards,
Kristine