Friends and Neighbors,
I hope you have been enjoying your summer.
Legislative sessions in Olympia are short but intense, so interims are the very best time for me to get out to learn what’s new and to connect with you. Being grounded here at home in Spokane is what inspires and guides me when I am in Olympia. Read on to learn about some of the things I have been up to this summer.
Releasing Chinook into the Little Spokane River
During the first week of August, I was honored to join the Spokane Tribe of Indians, the Inland Northwest Land Conservancy, and the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife to release 51 adult chinook salmon into the Little Spokane River near the Waikiki Springs trailhead. It is the first time in 111 years that summer Chinook are swimming in the Little Spokane River.
The release was made possible by the additional shoreline opened up when the Inland Northwest Land Conservancy purchased 95 acres and 1,700 feet of shoreline. I was proud to help the Inland Northwest Land Conservancy secure $1.5 million in our state’s capital budget to help facilitate the purchase.
This release is the first step in the Upper Columbia United Tribes plan to reintroduce salmon into the blocked regions of the Columbia.
Read more about the release and the project: https://www.spokesman.com/…/its-been-over-a-century…/
Mobile Office at the Emerson-Garfield Farmers’ Market
Earlier this summer, Sen. Andy Billig, Rep. Timm Ormsby and I hosted a mobile office event at the Emerson-Garfield Farmers’ market. It was great to get back into the community and hear from you in person. I look forward to hosting more of these events this interim. Your thoughts, concerns, and ideas are the most important information I can get when representing you in Olympia.
REMINDER: Sign Up for Your Child Tax Credit
The federal American Rescue Plan provided the largest Child Tax Credit in history. The amount that a family can receive per child was raised. And instead of the tax relief coming once a year when you file your taxes, the American Rescue Plan will begin sending families monthly payments starting in July. For every child 6-17 years old, families will get $250, and for children under 6, families will receive $300. This special pandemic relief will be sent automatically to families earning under $150,000 for a couple and $112,500 for a single parent if you filed your taxes in 2019 or 2020.
If you did not file taxes however, YOU ARE STILL ELIGIBLE FOR THE CREDIT. You simply have to sign up for the benefit with the IRS’ Non-filer Sign-up Tool. (En Español). While the monthly payments are not retroactive, you will be able to receive payments through the remainder of the year if you have not already signed up.
You can check the status of your payments here.
As always, it’s an honor to serve our community.
Best Regards,
Representative Marcus Riccelli