THE LEGISLATIVE session was wrapped up on time March 11 and there was reason to celebrate. The Select Committee on Pension Policy passed a number of bills through the Legislature.

Our largest and least expected victory came with the passage of 2537 (Public Safety Employees Retirement). This bill will lower the normal retirement age for certain public safety employees from 65 to 60. The bill is prospective and current employees will begin receiving service credit in the new system July 1, 2006. The cost of the bill is roughly 270 million over the next 25 years and will be equally split between employees and employers as it is in all current systems.

Special thanks go to Representative Gary Alexander (R) Olympia, Representative Bill Fromhold (D) Vancouver and Representative Steve Conway (D) Tacoma, Council 2 members who went above and beyond the call for their coworkers include Lt. Martha Karr, Local 3752-LT; Tim Mills, Local 618-CD and Tom Trarbough, Local 492.

Brief Summary of Bill

Tim Eyman is going after public employees with the worst initiatives to date. I-864 would cut local government property taxes by 25% and that means layoffs and wage/benefit cutbacks for public employees. He is also looking to cut $400 million from the state budget with I-892 (this number may change). For his efforts, he has decided to pay himself $3,100 a week from his financial supporters.

Mr. Eyman will begin recruiting paid signature gatherers at any moment. We need your help to get our message out. People who sign these initiatives are often unaware of their consequences or the fact that the signature gatherers are paid mercenaries who will do or say anything to get a signature. We need you to contact store owners who allow them on their property. When you see a signature gatherer please take the following steps:

1. Contact the signature gatherer

Ask them if they’re being paid. (Many receive $1 - $3 per signature)

Tell them you and your family will be hurt by their initiative.

Tell them their “job” is going to take away someone else’s.

Ask for their name. Many of these people have extensive criminal backgrounds. (See votereducationproject.org)

2. Contact the store owner

Ask for the Manager and tell them that your family spends money at their store, money that won’t be there if this initiative passes.

Tell them that the signature gatherer is being paid and is not a volunteer.

Ask them to tell the paid signature gatherer to leave their property (they have no right to be there and can be arrested if they don’t leave).

3. Think Before You Ink

Get the truth out! We will be asking for volunteers to go out in groups of two to leaflet around the signature gatherers warning potential signers about the harm these initiatives will do to vital public services. If people understand what the initiative will do, many won’t sign it.