THE LEGISLATURE seems less likely to tackle the tough issues of transportation and the gas tax given the release of a Republican/business-led public opinion poll. The debate has now shifted to what to put on the ballot and when, hardly the bold leadership our State needs to address this crippling problem.

Most Democrat legislators and Governor Locke favored passing a gas tax and beginning construction immediately. However, there were several reluctant House Democrats who shied away from their responsibility and they joined Republican Minority Leader Clyde Ballard (Wenatchee) in passing the buck to the public.

The mysterious “poll” commissioned by mysterious sources indicated that the public (60%) favored raising the gas tax by as much as 9 cents. However, no one has seen the questions and those results don’t jive with previous polls we have seen. In an interesting side note, the Boeing Company has not been able to deliver one single Republican vote for what they say is their number one legislative priority. Given this landscape void of leadership and courage, we need to at least press the legislature to ask the right questions of the public.

The ballot measure should include at least a 9 cents statewide increase with a regional package that provides at least 30% of revenue raised dedicated to local government.

Retirement governance (HB 2917)

AFTER REACHING an agreement with all of the AFL-CIO Unions, two retiree organizations and the WEA, WPEA and PSE, we drafted a new bill that would allow more legislators to sign on. Representative Mike Cooper (D – Edmonds) is the prime sponsor and has been working with the House Leadership to get our bill a hearing. Other sponsors include:

Rep. Mark Schoesler (R)
Rep. Jim Dunn (R)
Rep. Steve Conway (D)
Rep. John Lovick (D)
Rep. Geoff Simpson (D)
Rep. Jerome Delvin (R)
Rep. Don Cox (R)
Rep. Lynn Kessler (D)
Rep. Mark Miloscia (D)
Rep. Kelli Linville (D)
Rep. Mike Carrell (R)
Rep. Brock Jackley (D)

The problem remains with Representative Helen Sommers (D - Seattle). As the Chair of the Appropriations Committee, she has the ability to kill this bill and she’s indicated that is what she plans to do. We’ve gone to Frank Chopp (D - Seattle) for assistance. As the Speaker of the House, he can overrule Sommers. Our message is clear; Washington is only one of three States in the Country that denies the members a voice and a vote in their pension boards. This Union was instrumental in the democrats gaining control of the House and Chopp and Sommers need to remember that and do the right thing – pass HB 2917.

Bid Limit Bills Leap Forward (HB 2527/SB 5873)

OUR ON-GOING efforts to raise the bid limits to allow our members to perform more work gained momentum when both the House and Senate versions of this measure moved to the Rules Committee. Executive Board Member Brian Snipes (Local 270) and Local 270 President Joe Cavanaugh traveled from Spokane through a snowstorm to attend the Local Government and Housing Committee, which is considering HB 2527. Mr. Snipe’s testimony proved effective as the Committee voted 9-2 to move the bill on to Rules. Representative Brian Sullivan (D – Mukilteo) is the prime sponsor of the bill and as a freshman we’re looking forward to this being his first bill passed.

SB 5777 Retiree Medical Coverage

(Senator Margarita Prentice D – Seattle)
This measure would allow retirees from all local governments access to health care coverage. It passed out of the Senate 47-0 and is now before the House Health Care Committee. The Committee Chair (Representative Eileen Cody D - Seattle) should be encouraged to hear the bill and Helen Sommers (D – Seattle) should be contacted to pass the bill in the Appropriations Committee.

School employee health care

In addition to securing full funding for health care benefits, members are encouraged to contact their legislators and ask them to oppose HB 2635 and 2536. These bills would mandate consolidation with the health care authority and weaken our ability to bargain benefits locally.

Initiative Reform (It’s All About Timing)

One of Tim Eyman’s last tantrums before he admitted to being a pathological liar was to denounce Olympia’s efforts to provide citizens with more information about the initiatives they’re voting on. Obviously, Mr. Eyman wanted to hide the harmful effects of his initiatives as much as he hid his $200,000+ salary.

Initiative bills we are supporting include:

• SB 6637 (Senator Adam Kline, D - Seattle)
  This bill would require that initiative sponsors file the same financial disclosure reports that all elected or appointed officials do. Citizens have a right to know if someone is making money from the initiative they’re sponsoring.
  
  
• HB 2747 (Representative Joe McDermott, D - Seattle)
  This bill would require that a fiscal note be prepared for each initiative and be placed in the voters pamphlet.
  
  Fiscal notes state the financial impacts of bills before the legislature. People have the right to know how much an initiative would cost taxpayers and the impact on state, county and city budgets and services.
  
  
• HB 2823 (Representative Joe McDermott, D - Seattle)
  Same as 2747 except the fiscal note would be put directly on the ballot.
  
  
• HB 2682 (Representative Helen Sommers, D - Seattle)
  This measure would allow public officials the right to speak out about an initiative’s effects without being held liable for campaigning. We believe that politicians should be allowed to tell the public about what services would be cut by initiatives. It’s their duty.