Report #1 1/22/1999
The last legislative session of this century began Monday, January 11th amid calls for cooperation and bipartisanship. Although such "togetherness" is always highlighted in the beginning, it may mean something this year. Why? The Democrats control the Governor’s Office and the State Senate and the House is tied with 49 Democrats and 49 Republicans. This tie means the committees are co-chaired. Bottom line – in order to get a bill passed they’ll have to get along with each other. This will probably mean fewer bills will go to the governor.
Our priority bill is Senate Bill 5152 – the Deputy Prosecutors Collective Bargaining Bill. The need for this legislation arose when the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that Deputy Prosecutors were not considered public employees under our collective bargaining law, R.C.W. 41.56. The majority of the court believed that such appointed personnel should "serve at the pleasure" of the elected official and the legislature didn’t intend to grant them bargaining rights. That was certainly news for us since we’ve represented Deputy Prosecutors since 1982!
Our fix to this problem is to more clearly define the terms "appointed" and "confidential" as it relates to public employee exemptions. Although this only directly affects Deputy Prosecutors, all of us may suffer if the court ruling isn’t corrected by the legislature. Senator Adam Kline (D – Seattle) has sponsored our bill and as an attorney himself, he understands the importance of the issue.
As you may be aware, P.E.R.S. II member rates are scheduled to be lowered 9/1/99 from the current 4.65% to 1.8%, a total reduction of 2.85%. P.E.R.S. I rates are set by statute and will remain at 6% due to the unfunded liability. Employer rates are scheduled to drop from 7.32% to 4.36% for a total reduction of 2.96%. It is important to note that these reductions are due to the extraordinary investment returns and will not effect plan benefits.
Our position on the reduction remains the same – keep the money in the plan and improve the plan! There are a number of ways this could be accomplished that would lower the retirement age. However, given the current governance of the retirement system -- we are shut out of policymaking process – hopes are not high.
We have worked with Representative Cathy Wolfe (D) Olympia in crafting a bill that will change the way our retirement system is governed. It is modeled after other states and gives the members of the plan (us) a seat and a vote at the table where the decisions are made. Much more later.
The prefix for your legislator’s telephone number is (360) 786
Legislative Hotline 1-800-562-6000
Dist. |
Title |
First Name |
Last Name |
Ph.# |
1 |
Sen. |
Rosemary |
McAuliffe |
7600 |
1 |
Rep. |
Al |
O' Brien |
7928 |
1 |
Rep. |
Jeanne |
Edwards |
7900 |
2 |
Sen. |
Marilyn |
Rasmussen |
7602 |
2 |
Rep. |
Roger |
Bush |
7824 |
2 |
Rep. |
Tom |
Campbell |
7912 |
3 |
Sen. |
Lisa |
Brown |
7604 |
3 |
Rep. |
Jeff |
Gombosky |
7946 |
3 |
Rep. |
Alex |
Wood |
7888 |
4 |
Sen. |
Bob |
McCaslin |
7606 |
4 |
Rep. |
Larry |
Crouse |
7820 |
4 |
Rep. |
Lynn |
Schindler |
7984 |
5 |
Sen. |
Dino |
Rossi |
7608 |
5 |
Rep. |
Cheryl |
Pflug |
7852 |
5 |
Rep. |
Brian |
Thomas |
7876 |
6 |
Sen. |
James |
West |
7610 |
6 |
Rep. |
Brad |
Benson |
7922 |
6 |
Rep. |
Duane |
Sommers |
7962 |
7 |
Sen. |
Bob |
Morton |
7612 |
7 |
Rep. |
Cathy |
McMorris |
7988 |
7 |
Rep. |
Bob |
Sump |
7908 |
8 |
Sen. |
Patricia |
Hale |
7614 |
8 |
Rep. |
Jerome |
Delvin |
7986 |
8 |
Rep. |
Shirley |
Hankins |
7882 |
9 |
Sen. |
VACANT |
||
9 |
Rep. |
Mark |
Schoesler |
7844 |
9 |
Rep. |
Larry |
Sheahan |
7942 |
10 |
Sen. |
Mary Margaret |
Haugen |
7618 |
10 |
Rep. |
David |
Anderson |
7884 |
10 |
Rep. |
Kelly |
Barlean |
7914 |
11 |
Sen. |
Margarita |
Prentice |
7616 |
11 |
Rep. |
Eileen |
Cody |
7978 |
11 |
Rep. |
Velma |
Veloria |
7862 |
12 |
Sen. |
George |
Sellar |
7622 |
12 |
Rep. |
Clyde |
Ballard |
7999 |
12 |
Rep. |
Linda |
Evans Parlette |
7832 |
13 |
Sen. |
Harold |
Hochstatter |
7624 |
13 |
Rep. |
Gary |
Chandler |
7932 |
13 |
Rep. |
Joyce |
Mulliken |
7808 |
14 |
Sen. |
Alex |
Deccio |
7626 |
14 |
Rep. |
Jim |
Clements |
7856 |
14 |
Rep. |
Mary |
Skinner |
7810 |
15 |
Sen. |
Jim |
Honeyford |
7684 |
15 |
Rep. |
Bruce |
Chandler |
7960 |
15 |
Rep. |
Barbara |
Lisk |
7874 |
16 |
Sen. |
Valoria |
Loveland |
7630 |
16 |
Rep. |
William |
Grant |
7828 |
16 |
Rep. |
Dave |
Mastin |
7836 |
17 |
Sen. |
Don |
Benton |
7632 |
17 |
Rep. |
Marc |
Boldt |
7994 |
17 |
Rep. |
Jim |
Dunn |
7976 |
18 |
Sen. |
Joseph |
Zarelli |
7634 |
18 |
Rep. |
Thomas |
Mielke |
7850 |
18 |
Rep. |
John |
Pennington |
7812 |
19 |
Sen. |
Sid |
Snyder |
7636 |
19 |
Rep. |
Mark |
Doumit |
7870 |
19 |
Rep. |
Brian |
Hatfield |
7806 |
20 |
Sen. |
Dan |
Swecker |
7638 |
20 |
Rep. |
Gary |
Alexander |
7990 |
20 |
Rep. |
Richard |
DeBolt |
7896 |
21 |
Sen. |
Paull |
Shin |
7640 |
21 |
Rep. |
Mike |
Cooper |
7950 |
21 |
Rep. |
Renee |
Radcliff |
7972 |
22 |
Sen. |
Karen |
Fraser |
7642 |
22 |
Rep. |
Sandra |
Romero |
7940 |
22 |
Rep. |
Cathy |
Wolfe |
7992 |
23 |
Sen. |
Betti |
Sheldon |
7644 |
23 |
Rep. |
Karen |
Schmidt |
7842 |
23 |
Rep. |
Phil |
Rockefeller |
7934 |
24 |
Sen. |
Jim |
Hargrove |
7646 |
24 |
Rep. |
Jim |
Buck |
7916 |
24 |
Rep. |
Lynn |
Kessler |
7904 |
25 |
Sen. |
Calvin |
Goings |
7648 |
25 |
Rep. |
Jim |
Kastama |
7968 |
25 |
Rep. |
Joyce |
McDonald |
7948 |
26 |
Sen. |
Bob |
Oke |
7650 |
26 |
Rep. |
Tom |
Huff |
7802 |
26 |
Rep. |
Patricia |
Lantz |
7964 |
27 |
Sen. |
Lorraine |
Wojahn |
7652 |
27 |
Rep. |
Ruth |
Fisher |
7930 |
27 |
Rep. |
Debbie |
Regala |
7974 |
28 |
Sen. |
Shirley |
Winsley |
7654 |
28 |
Rep. |
Michael |
Carrell |
7958 |
28 |
Rep. |
Gigi |
Talcott |
7890 |
29 |
Sen. |
Rosa |
Franklin |
7656 |
29 |
Rep. |
Steve |
Conway |
7906 |
29 |
Rep. |
Brian |
Sullivan |
7996 |
30 |
Sen. |
Tracey |
Eide |
7658 |
30 |
Rep. |
Mark |
Miloscia |
7898 |
30 |
Rep. |
Maryann |
Mitchell |
7830 |
31 |
Sen. |
Pam |
Roach |
7660 |
31 |
Rep. |
Chris |
Hurst |
7866 |
31 |
Rep. |
Michael |
Stensen |
7846 |
32 |
Sen. |
Darlene |
Fairley |
7662 |
32 |
Rep. |
Carolyn |
Edmonds |
7880 |
32 |
Rep. |
Ruth |
Kagi |
7910 |
33 |
Sen. |
Julia |
Patterson |
7664 |
33 |
Rep. |
Karen |
Keiser |
7868 |
33 |
Rep. |
Shay |
Schual-Berke |
7834 |
34 |
Sen. |
Michael |
Heavey |
7667 |
34 |
Rep. |
Dow |
Constantine |
7952 |
34 |
Rep. |
Erik |
Poulsen |
7938 |
35 |
Sen. |
Tim |
Sheldon |
7668 |
35 |
Rep. |
William "Ike" |
Eickmeyer |
7902 |
35 |
Rep. |
Kathy |
Haigh |
7966 |
36 |
Sen. |
Jeanne |
Kohl |
7670 |
36 |
Rep. |
Mary Lou |
Dickerson |
7860 |
36 |
Rep. |
Helen |
Sommers |
7814 |
37 |
Sen. |
Adam |
Kline |
7688 |
37 |
Rep. |
Sharon |
Tomiko Santos |
7944 |
37 |
Rep. |
Kip |
Tokuda |
7838 |
38 |
Sen. |
Jeri |
Costa |
7674 |
38 |
Rep. |
Aaron |
Reardon |
7864 |
38 |
Rep. |
Pat |
Scott |
7840 |
39 |
Sen. |
Val |
Stevens |
7676 |
39 |
Rep. |
Hans |
Dunshee |
7804 |
39 |
Rep. |
John |
Koster |
7816 |
40 |
Sen. |
Harriet |
Spanel |
7678 |
40 |
Rep. |
Jeff |
Morris |
7970 |
40 |
Rep. |
Dave |
Quall |
7800 |
41 |
Sen. |
Jim |
Horn |
7680 |
41 |
Rep. |
Ida |
Ballasiotes |
7926 |
41 |
Rep. |
Mike |
Wensman |
7894 |
42 |
Sen. |
Georgia |
Gardner |
7682 |
42 |
Rep. |
Doug |
Ericksen |
7980 |
42 |
Rep. |
Kelli |
Linville |
7854 |
43 |
Sen. |
Pat |
Thibaudeau |
7628 |
43 |
Rep. |
Frank |
Chopp |
7920 |
43 |
Rep. |
Edward |
Murray |
7826 |
44 |
Sen. |
Jeanine |
Long |
7686 |
44 |
Rep. |
Dave |
Schmidt |
7982 |
44 |
Rep. |
John |
Lovick |
7892 |
45 |
Sen. |
Bill |
Finkbeiner |
7672 |
45 |
Rep. |
Laura |
Ruderman |
7822 |
45 |
Rep. |
Kathy |
Lambert |
7878 |
46 |
Sen. |
Ken |
Jacobsen |
7690 |
46 |
Rep. |
Jim |
McIntire |
7886 |
46 |
Rep. |
Phyllis |
Kenney |
7818 |
47 |
Sen. |
Stephen |
Johnson |
7692 |
47 |
Rep. |
Jack |
Cairnes |
7858 |
47 |
Rep. |
Phil |
Fortunato |
7918 |
48 |
Sen. |
Dan |
McDonald |
7694 |
48 |
Rep. |
Luke |
Esser |
7936 |
48 |
Rep. |
Steve |
Van Luven |
7848 |
49 |
Sen. |
Albert |
Bauer |
7696 |
49 |
Rep. |
Don |
Carlson |
7924 |
49 |
Rep. |
Val |
Ogden |
7872 |
 |
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