This Week in Olympia

Occupy Olympia-Resist the Senate’s plan  

WEA members from several locals are converging on Olympia for 10 days beginning Monday, May 1 to show their support for the House education budget and their opposition to the Senate’s plan. 

Rumor has it that both the House and Senate expect full attendance on Tuesday, May 2. The House Finance Committee will hold a hearing on two bills intended to redirect Boeing’s tax breaks and use the revenue for education if Boeing continues to send jobs out of state. The tax breaks wouldn’t expire until 2024, so there is no short-term benefit for education funding. WEA is supporting.

Can’t go to Olympia? No problem! We need activities at home too because during special session, most legislators aren’t in Olympia on most days anyway. Check out this list of actions and talk with your local president about raising attention for education funding in your community.  

Want something quick to do? 

• Tell your lawmakers to support SB 5929. Remember – that’s the House’s revenue proposal. Last week Sen. Rossi, who actually opposes this bill, held a hearing about it, hoping he could force a vote to kill the funding plan. I guess he didn’t expect the strong Pro-SB 5929 turnout he received at the hearing.  Read more about it here. 
• Call the legislative hotline on Wednesday and tell your lawmkers to keep the voter-approved class size reduction law alive. The Senate plan eliminates it. The House plan adds additional staffing to support students with high social-emotional needs, and keeps the law alive. 800-562-6000.
  • Call from you own phone on Wednesday, during non-work time. The lines are open between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on weekdays. Here’s what you could say in your hotline message: “Keep the voter-approved class-size reduction law alive. Support the House Democratic budget and oppose the Senate Republican budget.”

Meanwhile, last week in Olympia  . . . 

The hearing on SB 5929 was the only public thing that happened last week. At this time, no committee votes are scheduled, but that could change at any time. The budget negotiators who are working on an education funding plan were in Olympia this week, but their meetings were behind closed doors. Stay tuned.