Touching Base with Our Neighbors at Our Town Hall
From the day I decided I wanted to serve as your state representative, I have been committed to ensuring your government is transparent, accessible, and open to feedback. I host bi-monthly calls with community leaders during legislative session, host bi-monthly “Coffee with Kristine” events outside of session, meet with constituents one-on-one and in groups in both Olympia and Federal Way, and it’s why I host several town halls each year.
It was my honor to join my legislative colleagues from the 30th district in hosting a “mid-session” community town hall on March 23, 2019. Thank you to everyone who took time out of their busy Saturday afternoon schedules to join us, to hear about the work we are doing on your behalf, and to share what matters most to you and your family.
It was clear that not everyone got a chance to get their questions answered at our in-person town hall. As a full-time working mom of two kids, I know how difficult it can be to make time to attend events like these, and even harder, when you do not feel like you were able to have your voice heard.
Therefore, I will be hosting a follow-up Town Hall on Monday, April 8th from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. online.
I will be answering the questions from comment cards that we were not able to get to during the in-person town hall last week. If you cannot make the follow-up online Town Hall, feel free to e-mail us, call our office or stop by anytime!
Local Community Projects in Your State Budget
The recent two-year budget proposals include several priority investments, such as:
- Required follow-on funding in our K-12 system to close the gap in special education funding, Local Effort Assistance (LEA) funding, as well as school-employee healthcare requirements and provides increased funding for student mental health and safety to ensure all of our students are getting a safe, high-quality education.
- Needed improvements and expansions to the community behavioral health system to help people in crisis while addressing the need for compliance with our Trueblood court settlement agreement.
- Taking care of our state employees by funding negotiated contracts.
These budget proposals also focus on a variety of investments across the state that benefit all Washingtonians, which your 30th LD team have supported, including:
- Seniors & Veterans Property Tax Relief that supports our neighbors to stay in their homes.
- Full-spectrum affordable housing investments that create access and stability.
- Expansions in early childhood development and childcare access and affordability.
- Increased public safety, healthcare, and college and workforce investments.
The House Operating budget was voted on Friday, March 29. The Senate budget was released on Friday, March 29 and will be voted on in the coming days. Once both budgets are passed, they will be sent to “conference” along with the Governor’s budget proposal for negotiation on a final state budget proposal and eventually adoption by the entire Legislature before the close of the legislative session, which is scheduled for April 28, 2019.
Visit our website for the full list of community projects!
Fighting For Families & Putting People First
I came to Olympia two years ago with a clear mission: to take care of our kids, our community, and to build an economy that works for all working families. As a working mom of two young kids, I have seen the direct impact of decisions made in Olympia on my family’s budget and making sure that working families have a seat at the table as we make those decisions has been an important element of the work I do here. This session I introduced several bills focused on making budgets work better for working families.
As we near the end of session, while there are several bigger issues I am supporting, I wanted to update you on a few of the bills I’ve been working on to help balance working families’ budgets:
- Washington Childcare Access Now Act (WaCAN): HB 1344 puts Washington on a path to affordable and accessible childcare for all working families. Last week WaCAN was voted out of the Senate Early Learning and K-12 committee, and is scheduled for a public hearing in the Senate Ways & Means committee on April 4. This is just a few steps away from being sent to the Governor’s desk and setting a bold goal for our state to ensure every working parent can get to and from work, increase wages for childcare workers, and promote access so all children in our state can get the best start in life.
- Balancing the Scales for Consumer Debt: HB 1602 tips the scales in favor of consumers trying to pay their debt while making sure the service providers who are owed still be paid. This bill will lower the interest rates consumers pay to debt collectors, and raises the limit that debt collectors have to leave in your bank during a garnishment. Because if you cannot pay your rent or put food on the table while still trying to pay your debt, we are just making the problem of poverty worse. This bill aims to alleviate some of that strain.
- Eliminating the Pink Tax: This session I introduced HB 1053, which will eliminate the sales tax on menstrual hygiene products, providing tax relief to working moms and families on a budget. HB 1053 was included in the House budget.
Please do not hesitate to let me know what Daniel and I can be working on to support you and your family!
In service,
Kristine Reeves