News from the Chair, March 2012

The news as we approach the end of the Legislative Session in Olympia is both good and bad.

The good news is that Rep. Phyllis Gutiérrez Kenney was able to get a very important bill passed to keep the housing assistance going to the homeless and to those in the most need of help by their government. This effort is something we can all be thankful for, and Phyllis deserves the credit.

Rep. Gutiérrez Kenney has also announced that this will be her last session in Olympia. She was first appointed in 1997 to fill the House vacancy left by Senator Ken Jacobsen when he moved from the House to the Senate. Over the last 15 years she has been a champion for our values and our platform, but her activism didn’t start then. It goes farther back than most realize. The online version of this article has links to several sources on the web for her history, and it’s a very rich history full of caring for her family, her friends and her community. We’re all grateful for the time that she has spent using her experience for the betterment of everyone in Washington State.

• Historylink.org: Phyllis Gutiérrez Kenney (b. 1936)
• Historylink.org: Phyllis Gutierrez Kenney is appointed to the Washington State House of Representatives on January 5, 1997
• Ballotpedia: Phyllis Gutiérrez Kenney

The bad news out of Olympia started on Friday, March 2nd. After working hard all session to find compromises and agreements with both political parties, Senate Democrats found themselves betrayed by three of their own, who used their votes to push through a State Budget that does not reflect the hopes or dreams of the people of Washington. Instead, it guts our most important programs. Engrossed Senate Bill 5967 was replaced by a “striker” amendment, basically a Frankenstein replacement bill, which the Senate Democrats fought to defeat for most of the session on Friday night until it was finally adopted by a vote of 25 to 24. Now it’s up to the conference committee to try and repair the damage.

The Senators who used their votes to empower the Republican Party and the conservative movement this past Friday are: Sen. Rodney Tom (D-48), who is running for reelection in 2014; Sen. Jim Kastama (D-25), who is running for Secretary of State in 2012; and Sen. Tim Sheldon (D-35), who is also running for reelection in 2014. We also need to be aware that our own Senator David Frockt led the charge on amendment after amendment to the final budget bill to try and restore the cuts to things like education and family planning. He managed to get the only amendment that passed through, one restoring $500,000 to the Leadership 1000 college scholarship program. Bravo!!

Now both the House and the Senate need our voices to be heard in support of our values, and we need to get busy preparing for the 2012 (and 2014) elections to make sure this never happens again.

Our March meeting will move quickly with some presentations about our new district that have been delayed for a while, and an important discussion on Local Issues for our 2012 Platform. I hope to see you there! And a last note, our April meeting will be at a new location. Watch for it!

Chad Lupkes
Chair, 46th District Democrats

Read the rest of the March Demogram!

Rep. Gerry Pollet comments on the retirement of Representative Phyllis G. Kenney

Dear Friends,

Representative Phyllis Gutiérrez Kenney has been a groundbreaking leader for social justice, working families and opportunity for all the peopleof Washington. All of our state, and the 46^th legislative district in particular, owe her a great debt and her tireless and inspirational leadership is irreplaceable.

Phyllis has served as a longtime mentor to me, first in her service as an officer and Chair of the 46^th District Democrats, and, now, having the honor of serving as her seatmate in the House of Representatives. No freshman Representative could have a better mentor.

While slight in stature, Phyllis’ heart is unmatched in size. In her fifteen years of service in the legislature, Representative Gutiérrez Kenney has worked to provide housing for the homeless, protect the rights of workers, and to provide training and education to people from all walks of life seeking to better their lives. Thousands of students recognize Representative Gutiérrez Kenney as the mother of our state’s Opportunity Grant Program.

Representative Gutiérrez Kenney’s leadership is reflected in the tremendous work chairing the Community Development and Housing Committee. The latest of her many accomplishments, a bill that expands a highly successful program supporting local services for the homeless, passed the Senate last night and will be on the governor’s desk in the coming days. I cannot think of a more fitting way for Phyllis to end her career here in the legislature.

I am thankful for the short time I’ve served alongside with Representative Gutiérrez Kenney, and will continue to seek her guidance and input as part of our 46^th District’s legislative team. I know that her leadership for the Latino Advocacy and Leadership Institute will continue to provide inspiration and new leaders for our state in the coming years. I look forward to assisting her in this important work.

Representative Gerry Pollet

Announcement from Representative Phyllis Gutierrez Kenney

Dear neighbors,

Earlier today I announced my retirement to my fellow lawmakers and I sent out a statement to the press. I am including it below. Please know that I am grateful for your support and for your friendship and that my decision to retire does not mean we will lose contact. I truly hope we can stay in touch as I continue to serve you in other capacities.

“I feel truly honored that the people of North Seattle have allowed me to represent them all these years. It has been a wonderful experience. Every decision I have made has been with their best interests in mind; I hope they feel that I have served them well.

I have enormous faith in the people of Washington state. They can be tough on their elected officials, but that’s because they believe that we, as a state, can and will be better. I share that belief.

By the end of this term, I will have served 16 years in the Washington State House of Representatives.  The House is an institution that I hold very dear to my heart, and I count many of my colleagues – on both sides of the aisle – among my friends.

We may not see eye to eye on some issues, but I believe all of us, Democrats and Republicans, come to Olympia with a true commitment to the people we represent and a true desire to make our One Washington a better place for all.

I thank my husband Larry and all my kids for their love and support, but also for putting up with my absence three or four months out of the year, for many years.

And lastly, I am grateful for the trust, partnership and support of North Seattle residents, for making my service in the House so tremendously rewarding. While I will be out of elective office in 2013 for the first time in 16 years, I hope to continue my involvement and find new opportunities to serve our community and our state.”

House Speaker Frank Chopp issued this statement:

         

“To me, Phyllis’s story is the embodiment of the American Dream.  Born to migrant workers, she spent her early years working in the fields.  But she believed in the promise of this country and in the value of education and look at what she achieved! 

“However, she never forgot her roots.  She has worked tirelessly on behalf of the underrepresented in our state, improving conditions for farm workers, fighting for educational opportunities for lower-income students, and providing shelter for the homeless.”

“We are going to miss her.”

If you’d like to read a short biography, please go to this site:http://www.housedemocrats.wa.gov/roster/rep-phyllis-gutierrez-kenney/biography/

      

Phyllis Gutierrez Kenney

State Representative

46th Legislative District

Sen. Frockt comments on the retirement of Rep. Kenney

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – March 1, 2012

OLYMPIA – Sen. David Frockt has released the following statement on the announced retirement of Rep. Phyllis Gutiérrez Kenney:

“Today my colleague and good friend, Representative Phyllis Gutiérrez Kenney, announced her plans to retire from the Washington State Legislature. Although she will no longer serve in this capacity, her legacy of service and her devotion to the people of the 46th District, and to Washington State, will long be remembered. I was privileged enough to serve alongside Phyllis in the House during my first year as a freshman legislator, and have been working closely with her on a number of important measures while in the Senate.

“Recently, I attended a breakfast with Phyllis in support of the plan to end homelessness in our community. I wish everyone could have heard her speech at that important event, where she relayed her family’s history – when they were once wanting. This was a window into my friend’s soul and her heart. She has had life experiences that many of us will never have and there is no doubt it is what drove her work in public life.  Her sense of community and compassion for those less fortunate sets an example for me and many others.

“Phyllis is moving on to a new phase her life with her beloved husband Larry. Her work here and on behalf of the people all around this state will be missed, but it will never be forgotten.  She made a difference.”

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For more information:     Ian Cope, Senate Democratic Communications, 360 786 7535
For interviews:     Sen. David Frockt, 360 786 7690