OlympiaWashington Education Association

Legislative Outlook

A regular update about legislative issues affecting Washington public schools and education employees

Special Edition -- March 15, 2005, www.washingtonea.org

WEA members urged to attend legislative back-home meetings this Saturday
Our COLAs, health insurance and pensions are at stake

Legislators across the state have scheduled back-home meetings with their constituents for Saturday, March 19.

Next week, lawmakers are expected to release their budget proposals. State revenue is increasing by an estimated $1.5 billion in the coming biennium. The cost of maintaining current state services is expected to exceed state revenue by about $2.2 billion, however.

That means elected leaders in Olympia are considering raising taxes or cutting services to balance the budget. WEA supports increasing state revenue instead of slashing education and other vital programs.

When lawmakers write the budget in coming weeks, public schools must be a top priority. Education is the state's "paramount duty" according to the state Constitution. Good schools are crucial to a strong economy, and students need a well-rounded education to compete for jobs in the global, high-tech community.

WEA members caution lawmakers against once again balancing the budget on the backs of students and educators. Two years ago, the Legislature cut more than $600 million from the K-12 schools budget. Washington's current per-pupil spending ranks 42nd in the nation, yet our academic standards are among the most stringent in the United States.

Key points to emphasize with your legislators

  • The state has an obligation to follow the will of the voters and to fully fund Initiative 732. (1.2 percent next year)
  • The state should also make up the salary educators lost during the two-year suspension of I-732. (3.6 percent)
  • The state should fund health insurance benefits at a rate that keeps pace with increased costs. (estimated 11 percent next year)
  • The state should improve the pension system, including lowering the retirement age for members in Plans 2 and 3. (Select Committee on Pension Policy proposal)
  • The state should enact House Bill 1484, which would authorize voter-approved countywide school levies that would help equalize the high cost of housing for school employees in many parts of the state. (if HB 1484 passes the House on March 16)

2005 Legislative Districts Meetings

 

1st LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT March 19 Cascade
Reps. Mark Ericks & Al O'Brien with Sen. Rosemary McAuliffe
10-11:30am - MLK Library
1-2:20 pm - Northshore Adult Daycare Center
3:30-5 pm - Cathcart Elementary School Library

3rd LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT March 19 Eastern Washington
Reps. Alex Wood & Tim Ormsby with Sen. Lisa Brown
1–3pm - West Central Community Center, 1603 N. Belt, Spokane

5th LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT March 19 Sammamish
Reps. Glenn Anderson & Jay Rodne with Sen. Cheryl Pflug
10:30–11:30am – Maple Valley Library, 21844 SE 248th St.
1:30–2:30pm – Sammamish Library, 825 228th Ave.
3:30–4:30pm – Snoqualmie Police Station, 34825 SE Douglas St.

6th LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT March 19 Spokane
Sen. Brad Benson
10am-12pm – Rooms 110 A&B, Health Sciences Bldg, WSU Spokane/Riverpoint Campus, 310 N. Riverpoint Blvd.

8th LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT March 19 Southeast
Reps. Shirley Hankins & Larry Haler with Sen. Jerome Delvin
9-10am – Prosser City Hall, 601 7th Street
10:30–11:30am – Benton City Community Center, 802 East 8th St.
1-2pm – Community Room, West Richland Benton REA Bldg., 6095 West Van Giesen
2:30-3:30pm – Kennewick City Council Chambers, 210 West 6th Ave.
4-5pm – Richland City Council, Chambers, 505 Swift Blvd.

11th LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT March 19 Rainier
Reps. Bob Hasegawa & Zack Hudgins
10am-12pm - Liquor Control Board, 44401 East Marginal Way S., Seattle

14th LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT March 19 Midstate
Rep. Mary Skinner
10:30am–12pm – Naches Valley Middle School, 32 Shafer Ave., Naches
2-3:30pm – Harman Center, 101 North 65th Ave., Yakima

18th LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT March 19 Lower Columbia
Sen. Joe Zarelli
10-11:30am – Woodland Council Chambers, 230 Davidson Ave., Woodland
1-2:30pm – Hockinson High School Library, 16819 NE 159th St., Brush Prairie

19th LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT March 19 Lower Columbia
Reps. Brian Blake & Dean Takko
9-11am - Longview Community Center
12:30-2:30pm - Naselle Middle School
4-6pm - Grays Harbor College

21st LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT March 19 Cascade
Reps. Brian Sullivan & Mary Helen Roberts with Sen. Paull Shin
10am - Lynnwood, Beverly Elementary School, 5221 168th St. SW, Lynnwood
1pm - Mukilteo, Harbor Point Middle School, 5000 Harbor Point Blvd., Mukilteo

25th LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT March 19 Summit
Rep. Dawn Morrell & Sen. Jim Kastama
10-11am - Midland Elementary, 2300 105th St. East Tacoma
2-3:30pm - Puyallup Library, 324 S. Meridian

26th LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT March 19 Olympic
Reps. Derek Kilmer & Pat Lantz
9-10am - Sylvan Way Library in Bremerton, 1301 Sylvan Way
11am-12pm - South Kitsap High School, 425 Mitchell Ave., Port Orchard
2-3pm - Key Peninsula Civic Center, 17010 South Vaughn Road, Vaughn
4-5pm - Gig Harbor Library, 4424 Point Fosdick Dr. NW, Gig Harbor

28th LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT March 19 and 26 Soundview
Rep. Tami Green
March 19 - 2:30-3:30pm - Lakewood City Hall, 6000 Main St SW
March 26 - 10-11am - University Place Senior Center, 2534 Grandview Dr W - Rep. Gigi Talcott with Sen. Mike Carrell
March 26 - 10-11am - University Place Senior Center, 2534 Grandview Dr W

29th LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT March 19 Tacoma
Rep. Steve Conway
10-12 Bates Tech College South Campus, Tacoma

30th LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT March 19 Puget Sound
Rep. Skip Priest
1-3pm - Federal Way City Hall, 33325 8th Ave. S.

31st LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT March 17 and 19 Puget Sound
Reps. Jan Shabro & Dan Roach with Sen. Pam Roach
March 17 - 7pm - Bonney Lake Senior Center
March 19 - 10:30am - Enumclaw Public Library

32nd LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT March 19 Cascade
Reps. Maralyn Chase & Ruth Kagi
10-12pm - Shoreline Historical Museum
1-3pm - Third Place Commons, Lake Forest

37th LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT March 19 Seattle
Reps. Eric Pettigrew & Sharon Tomiko Santos
10am-1pm – Garfield Community Center – 2323 East Cherry St., Seattle

38th LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT March 19 Pilchuck
Reps. John McCoy & Mike Sells
10am - Everett City Center

41st LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT March 19 Sammamish
Reps. Judy Clibborn & Fred Jarrett with Sen. Brian Weinstein
9:30-11:30am Bellevue City Hall Conference Room, 1511 Main Street
1:30-3:30pm Kennydale Elementary, 1700 NE 28th St., Renton

44th LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT March 19 Pilchuck
Reps. Hans Dunshee & John Lovick with Sen. Dave Schmidt
9:30-11:30am – Room A, Lake Stevens School District Bldg., 12309 22nd St NE, Lake Stevens
1:30-3:30pm - Mill Creek City Hall Council Chamber, 15728 Main St., Mill Creek

45th LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT March 19 Sammamish
Reps. Larry Springer & Toby Nixon with Sen. Bill Finkbeiner
10-11:30am - Fire Station #82, 1851 228th Ave. NE Sammamish
1:30-3pm - City of Woodinville, Council Chambers

46th LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT March 26 Seattle
Rep. Phyllis Kenney & Jim McIntire
10:30am - Meadowbrook Community Center in North Seattle

47th LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT March 19 Kent
Sen. Steve Johnson
10:30am-12pm – Main dining room of Lindbloom Student Center at Green River Community College

48th LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT March 19 Sammamish
Reps. Ross Hunter & Rodney Tom
1pm - Bellevue Community College - Sen. Esser March 19
10am–12pm – The Commons, BEST High School, 10902 NE 53rd St., Kirkland (special guest Attorney General Rob McKenna)
2–4pm – Multi-Purpose Room, Bellevue Family YMCA, 14230 Bel-Red Road, Bellevue (special guest Congressman Dave Reichert)

49th LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT March 19 Vancouver
Reps. Bill Fromhold & Jim Moeller with Sen. Craig Pridemore
10-12pm - Clark County Commissioners Hearing Room, 6th floor of Community Bldg, Vancouver

 

*Information as of 3:00 pm Tuesday, March 15, 2005

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