Control Your Demogram Subscription

Dear Valued Member,

Thank you for everything that you are doing to support our efforts in the 2010 election cycle. We can't do this without you.

Did you know that the 46th District spends almost 30% of our expense budget every year to print and mail our newsletter? We are also trying to find ways to balance our values on the environment with our need to spread our message. We're constantly trying to find ways to reduce that, and I would like to offer a way for you to help us control our costs and our environmental impact.

We now have over 800 Demogram subscribers who have shared your email addresses with us. We send out a friendly reminder each month when the Demogram is published on-line on our website. That email includes an easy-to-access link so you can read that month's issue and any of the back-issues at your leisure. However, the Demogram is one of our major outreach efforts, giving our paid members a monthly reminder of just how important we consider your membership to be, and also giving you something to pass on to friends and neighbors in order to spread our message.

Over the last few months, I have tried a few things to provide the member services that you expect while also trying to minimize our expenses. In March, we sent a printed Demogram to all of our members in order to boost participation in the Legislative District Caucus on March 14th. In April, I pulled back and only sent printed Demograms to people who had requested it or for whom we don't have an email address. (If you expected one in your mailbox and didn't receive one, please go to our website and view the copy online. We will have the extra copies at our meeting tomorrow night.)

I would like your help to find the point in the middle of these extremes. I have set up a form on our website that will give you direct control over your subscription. You can choose to receive the Demogram via email only, via both email and printed copy, or only printed copy. The Executive Board feels that this is a way to push the decision making process out to you, our members.

http://46dems.com/demogram/subscription.php

The 46th District Democrats are committed to use our contributions wisely. The less we spend on printing and postage, the more trees we save and the more resources we have available to help support candidates and elected officials who support our platform.

Thank you for your help in streamlining our systems. Please let me know if you have any questions. It would be great to hear from you.

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A letter from Schoolsfirst!

March 2, 2010

Chad Lupkes
46th District Democrats
PO Box 15435
Seattle, WA 98115-0435

Dear Chad:

On behalf of the Board of Directors of Schools First, I’d like to thank you again for your generous contribution to Schools First and for supporting the recent Seattle schools levy campaign.

We ran a successful campaign despite tough economic times. With your help we raised the $181,000 needed to reach the voters in Seattle who aren’t supporters like you. Your contribution helped us purchase 1,000 yard signs that raised awareness about the Special Election and send over 205,000 pieces of mail explaining why the levies must be passed. It helped feed hundreds of hard-working volunteers who made nearly 13,000 phone calls, and it helped us communicate with a wider audience through blogs, Facebook. twitter, and YouTube.

The impact of your support speaks for itself:

Proposition 1, the Capitol Capital Levy, was approved by 73.5%
Proposition 2, the Operations Levy, was approved by 74.1%

Seattle voters continue to willingly tax themselves to support the children of Seattle who attend our pubic schools and invest in their future. Your support guarantees that our kids will get the learning materials they need for a basic education, and have safe & healthy schools in which to get that education. The passage of these levies will:

• Continue investments in health and safety improvements


• Continue seismic upgrades to keep up with changing State and City building codes


• Getting to work on the acknowledged backlog of building maintenance projects


• Continues the critical 6th period day in our high schools so those students can compete with other students in this state


• Replace inefficient fossil fuel heating systems with environmentally friendly ground source heat pumps


• Pay for teachers, librarians, bi-lingual and special education specialists and textbooks


• Upgrading technology systems and equipment that improves student learning


• ...AND MORE!

In three short years Seattle voters will again be asked to support their public schools, and Schools First will again be there leading the effort to renew the levies. I hope we can count on your continued support in 2013!

I thank you and the 46,000 students in Seattle schools thank you!

Betty Hoagland,

President, Schools First

Olympic View fund-raiser to offer huge selection of native plants

Olympic View Elementary School will be offering a huge selection of native plants and edibles for sale at its annual PTA Plant Sale April 23-25. The fund-raiser will include sales of: organic vegetable starts, hanging baskets, designer pottery, compost bins, Northwest natives plants, and stunning annuals. Kids activities will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m, Saturday, April 24. All proceeds from the event will directly benefit Olympic View students. Call (206) 252-5500 or visit the school Web site for more information.

Olympic View PTA Plant Sale
9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Friday, April 23
9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday, April 24
10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Sunday, April 25
Olympic View Elementary School
504 N.E. 95th St.

The 46th District Democrats has held our monthly meeting at Olympic View Elementary School since 2004. Please support their fundraiser!

Legislative Update from Rep. Phyllis Kenney

Government Reform

In Olympia all session, the focus has been on balancing the budget. Because the gap is in the billions, it’s easy for the press, legislators and others to focus only on the big numbers. But some of the most important work this year has been on reforming government and delivering vital services more efficiently.

Reform has been a focal point of my agenda for many years, and it has paid big dividends. Governing Magazine recently gave Washington State an A- for the way our state is managed. They said Washington is a “consistent leader in results-based governance” and is “ahead of nearly all other states in controlling spending by keeping track of where investments were and were not paying off.”

We are always looking for more ways to improve and the global economic crisis has given the state extra motivation to move quickly in a variety of areas. Some examples from this session are:


- Education changes to improve student learning

Last year legislation was signed into law making comprehensive changes to the way the state funds and delivers basic education (House Bill 2261). It was the first major look at how to better fund schools in 30 years. This year we followed up with legislation to update K-12 funding formulas (House Bill 2776) and a bill to improve our schools so we can compete for federal Race to the Top dollars (Senate Bill 6696).

- Transforming the critical GAU program into the Disability Lifeline

General Assistance Unemployable (GAU) helps people struggling with mental illness or addiction problems. Often those issues are the cause of many other issues – homelessness, arrests, emergency room stays, and more. This year GAU will become the Disability Lifeline, to reflect that often a small amount of assistance stops lives from spiraling out of control. House Bill 2782 also requires technology to be used to make the program more efficient, and prioritizes finding federal support for people in the program. It will save $25 million in the next 15 months.

- Focusing the state’s Department of Commerce on jobs

Last year the Community, Trade and Economic Development Department was renamed the Department of Commerce. This year, House Bill 2658 reorganized the department to allow for a heightened focus on jobs, while protecting the community programs and strengthening the economic programs.

- Rethinking technology services in state government

House Bill 3178 attempts to bring about systematic change to how we inventory, assess, manage and oversee our $2 billion a biennium in technology spending, which could save close to $30 million.

- First steps to retooling the state’s management program

Last year we passed HB 2049 which required an in-depth report on the Washington Management Service, which has grown from a few hundred to a few thousand. As a follow-up to that report, House Bill 2998 froze bonuses to WMS managers and other state employees and legislators are continuing work to reduce the number of WMS employees.

Those are a few of the important moves the state has made this year to rethink the way government works. Right now the state has fewer resources coming in, but the demand in public schools, health clinics, and other social services has increased.

Cuts need to be made, and under the current proposals being looked at, $4.40 worth of cuts will be made of every dollar of new revenue. Over 3,000 state employee positions have been eliminated under the current budget.

I’ll be continuing to work with my colleagues in the House on new ways to save state dollars and examine how we can make our tax system more equitable. This year’s budget challenges will extend into the next budget and beyond.

If you have questions about these reform efforts, or suggestions for other ways the state could be doing better, please contact me. I would appreciate your help in reforming state government.

Rep. Phyllis G. Kenney

Legislative Update from Rep. Phyllis Kenney

Washington didn’t cause this crisis

Our state is feeling the effect of a worldwide recession. Wall Street CEOs and the housing collapse caused serious damage to our economy which will take years to make up. Last session, we closed our $9 billion budget shortfall with an all-cuts budget, even as 29 other states raised revenue. The budget hole we’re working to solve didn’t start here, and the problem doesn’t end here – every country and every state is struggling with the recession.

While businesses lose customers during tough economic times, the demand for services like public schools, health care, emergency assistance, job training, and state financial aid increase – just when our ability to pay for them decreases.

Washington has seen a dramatic upswing in “caseload” – those who depend on state services. Parents are moving their children back into public schools, more students are seeking financial aid for college, people who have lost their jobs are asking for retraining opportunities. More seniors are finding their investments have been depleted due to the financial crisis that hit Wall Street and they need state assistance to pay for their long-term care. The housing crash is still forcing people out of their homes.

Although there are many signs that the economy is beginning to recover, experts believe Washington will continue to feel the effects of the Great Recession for months, if not a couple years.

We balanced the budget by shrinking government

There are less than two weeks to go in the 2010 Legislative session, and all eyes are on the supplemental operating budget. Both the House and the Senate released proposals last week, and both make a substantial number of cuts – on top of the $3.2 billion already cut from the current budget – and both depend upon some new sources of revenue.

We in the House have not yet decided on a revenue plan. Instead, we have been concentrating on finding more cuts and more reforms.

As we discussed last week, there were serious reductions made last year. The Legislature has already cut $3.3 billion from the current budget. Additionally, the first three bills signed into law this year were all devoted to making additional cuts and efficiencies.

In fact, for the first time since 1949, the 2009-11 biennial budget is smaller than the 2007-09 budget.

That’s right – for the first time in 60 years, we produced a two-year budget that was less than the one before!

Over a billion dollars less, in fact. Here’s a sample of the cuts already made:

Area	Budget cuts
K-12/Public Schools	$795 million
Higher Education	$504 million
Early Learning	$12 million
Health Care	$780 million
Long-term Care, DD, Mental Health	$197 million
Other Human Services	$227 million
Corrections and Criminal Justice	$157 million
Natural Resources	$93 million
Other government costs	$99 million

A statement of our values

The state operating budget isn’t just a table of numbers. It is a statement of our values and priorities; it is our vision of Washington’s future. We know those numbers represent families and communities, businesses and schools.

The budget decisions we make today not only directly affect the current needs of students, seniors, foster children, the unemployed and people with disabilities, but they also shape our future. So we have to ask ourselves some very hard questions:

How will additional cuts to our schools and colleges affect the employment opportunities of the next generation? Will they be well-trained for the jobs in the changing economy?

Can we afford to eliminate health care coverage for even more people, forcing the expense onto community hospitals and emergency rooms?

Is a particular tax exemption or legal form of tax evasion more important than making sure our seniors have safe nursing homes and well-trained caregivers?

How will an increase in taxes affect our businesses and families?

$4.40 in real cuts for each $1.00 in proposed revenue

As of this week, the Governor, the Senate, and the House have all recommended filling a small portion of the remaining budget gap with new revenue. We will also take even deeper cuts in state services, lay off more workers, and enforce new government reforms and efficiencies.

How much of the gap are we looking to fill with taxes? About 10% of the 2-year total.

Budget cuts
Original 2009-11 cuts	$3.2 billion
2010 proposal	$0.65 billion
Total	$3.85 billion	44%

Federal assistance
Original 2009-11	$1.9 billion
2010 expected	$0.65 billion
Total	$2.57 billion	30%

Transfers (including Rainy Day fund)
Original 2009-11	$0.96 billion
2010 proposal	$0.47 billion
Total	$1.43 billion	16%

Revenue increases
Original 2009-11	$0.00
2010 proposal	$0.86 billion
Total	$0.86 billion	10%

As you can see, we are considering $4.40 in real cuts for each $1.00 in proposed revenue.

Final decisions will be made during the next two weeks. Please feel free to contact me with any questions, concerns, or suggestions. I welcome your comments.

For more information on the proposed House supplemental budget: http://leap.leg.wa.gov/leap/budget/detail/2010/ho2010p.asp

March Demogram

I’ll be blunt. Frustration is rising. As we move further into this election year, people are looking at Washington DC and seeing Congress blocked from doing anything to help us because just a few voices are so opposed to making a positive difference that they are willing to do anything to stop our progress. This cannot stand. But while I know that you understand who is on our side, too many people just look at the entire political system and throw up their hands.

We need to give people a reason not to give up. We, the members of the Democratic Party at a local, state and national level, need to present a vision for what our country can be if we listen to each other, learn from the past, plan for the future and keep in the front of our minds that we are all in this together. As a country and as a world we will only survive, succeed and thrive if we all work together.

What drives people away from the political process? I think it has more to do with their concerns not getting addressed than anything else. We are of course limited on what we can do from a small geographical area in the Northern part of a single city. But we need to maximize our impact by encouraging each other to speak out.

At the Legislative District Town Hall on February 20th my son came up with a question all on his own. “What is Washington State doing to get electric cars on our roads?” This from an 11-year-old boy who listens to my wife and I talk about the news and knows that we have the ability to protect his future if we just get on the right track.

Our LD Caucus is on Sunday, March 14th at Ingraham High School. I would love to see a few hundred active people, wanting to get the business done and ready to engage in a discussion of how we can put our country on the right track. Our Draft Platform is on our website ready for your review. The agenda and rules are posted. I hope to see you there!

Read more in our March Demogram!

Letter to Governor Gregoire about TransAlta

At our February Meeting, we had a presentation by Doug Howell of the Sierra Club about what we can do immediately here in Washington State to make a significant step towards our goal of reducing our CO2 emissions. The membership of the district agreed to sign on to a letter to Gov. Gregoire to encourage her to do the right thing when it comes to both our environment and the jobs in Centralia, Washington where the TransAlta Coal Plant is located. The following is the letter that was sent of today:

February 27, 2010

The Hon. Chris Gregoire
Governor, State of Washington
P.O. Box 40002
Olympia, WA 98504-0002

Re: The State’s negotiation with TransAlta Centralia Generation L.L.C.

Dear Governor Gregoire:
This letter is a follow-up to conversations with your office regarding the ongoing negotiations with TransAlta Centralia Generation L.L.C. (“TransAlta”) on the future of its coal-fired power plant in Centralia, Washington. We applaud your leadership on many significant climate protection initiatives, including the Energy Independence Act (I-937), the emissions performance standard, statutory goals for greenhouse gas reductions, clean car standards and stronger building codes. We are confident that the final agreement with TransAlta on its coal plant will reflect the same commitment to public protection that has been your touchstone.
The TransAlta coal plant is the state’s dirtiest single source of pollution and No. 1 emitter of greenhouse gases, toxic mercury and nitrogen oxides. The mercury and climate emissions damage Puget Sound, and the air pollution places a substantial disease burden on our state. In fact, TransAlta is the second-worst coal plant in the country in terms of creating haze in national parks and wilderness areas.

While the State’s entire settlement proposal has not been made available to the public, the following details have been disclosed:

By 2012, TransAlta will increase on-site natural gas output by 250 average megawatts (aMW) and reduce the output from one of its coal-fired boilers by an equal amount.
By 2018, TransAlta will develop 700 megawatts of renewable energy and retire one of its two coal-fired boilers.
By 2025, TransAlta will retire the other coal-fired boiler and starts operating a new 700- to 900-megawatt natural gas electricity generation unit.
The State will seek policy changes to facilitate a market for TransAlta's products.

Given our climate crisis and the public health and visibility issues associated with this coal plant, we continue to oppose the State’s proposal to TransAlta for a 2025 transition off of coal. We remain concerned that alternatives – including increased use of available clean energy resources – have not been adequately explored. We are confident that the state can facilitate a more rapid transition for TransAlta that requires less use of natural gas than has been proposed.

Analyzing all alternatives and scenarios – with emphasis on timing, interim pollution reductions and replacement energy -- is fundamental to the State’s obligations to protect Washington’s citizens and to exercise due diligence on important decisions. The public needs to be informed and included throughout the development of this agreement.

Analyze options

We strongly recommend that the State analyze earlier alternative transition dates than 2025, including the year 2015. Our own preliminary analysis finds no compelling evidence that a 2015 transition cannot be achieved or that 2025 is the best option to protect the public health and welfare. With climate scientists and physicians urging the fastest possible transition to a clean energy economy, it is appropriate for the State to examine the feasibility of a quicker transition.

The State has said it is willing to support TransAlta’s full 2025 transition by helping to explore financing options for a large gas plant, by lining up government buyers for a new TransAlta energy resources, and by changing the State’s emissions performance standard. We urge the State to explore similarly creative ideas to make full transition by 2015 a reality. The solutions must maintain grid stability and reliability, provide just transitions for coal-plant workers, and create clean energy development opportunities for Lewis County.

The complex set of compliance obligations the TransAlta coal plant will soon confront must be addressed in a holistic rather than piecemeal fashion. The fact that the current negotiations resulted from the Climate Change Executive Order should not preclude a comprehensive dialogue on the issues. Concern for public health and the environment may well drive new federal standards for fine particulates, sulfur dioxide, coal combustion waste and coal mining waste. New federal standards on hazardous air pollutants such as hydrochloric acid are expected next year. All of these regulations may apply to TransAlta and should be a part of this conversation.
Inform the public

The past year has featured many large public gatherings across the state addressing climate change and the need for action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (EPA endangerment hearings, 350 events, etc.). The public is engaged and seeking solutions. We believe more transparent discussion of options with TransAlta will strengthen the State's negotiating position and help build momentum for a timely resolution.

Given the statewide impact of the coal plant’s pollution, we recommend a set of public hearings across Washington and specifically in Seattle, Vancouver and Spokane.
We are confident that with your leadership we can transition TransAlta off of coal as early as 2015; we can protect the health of our citizens and our natural resources; we can ensure energy reliability and we can support displaced workers while clean energy alternatives create even more jobs. Such a result will be consistent with the Governor’s climate leadership and will inspire the nation. But to make this powerful vision a reality, the State needs to fully analyze the options and engage the public as soon as possible.

We look forward to working with your office toward such a positive outcome -- for the sake of our climate, public health and tomorrow’s clean energy jobs.
Sincerely,

Doug Howell, Senior Representative, Beyond Coal Campaign
Sierra Club

Sean Smith, Regional Policy Director
National Parks Conservation Association

Mark Riskedahl, Executive Director
Northwest Environmental Defense Center

LeeAnne Beres, Executive Director
Earth Mnistry

Cara H. Dolan, Environmental Associate
Environment Washington

Barb Gottlieb, Deputy Director, Health & Environment Program
Physicians for Social Responsibility

Chad Lupkes, Chair
46th Legislative Districts Democrats

Gerald Pollet, Executive Director
Heart of America Northwest

Sara Patton, Executive Director
NW Energy Coalition

General Assistance-Unemployable (GAU)

The Senate budget cuts $90 million from General Assistance-Unemployable (GAU) recipients. The "reforms" assume that with professional assistance, people can document their disability sufficiently to qualify for Social Security within 18 months, instead of the two to three years it takes now, with appeals. It cuts the stipend from a measly $339 to $50 and ties that to accepting shelter or housing, mental health or chemical dependency treatment.

Meanwhile, mental health treatment is cut 2% across the board (in both budgets) and I cannot find any increase in chemical dependency treatment. What happens when people relapse, or are kicked out of treatment? They lose their housing, too? We know that most people need multiple chances to get clean and sober, yet we don't provide enough treatment slots, especially residential beds, for long enough to establish new friends, new habits, new places and jobs.

The Senate limits GAU medical coupons to 12 months in any 24-month period. Can we think of any justification? Since 44% of GAU recipients have a mental illness, this will cause them to go off their meds, which will likely put many back in the streets after a short period. This sounds like a prescription for "homeless musical chairs" while some people get to take turns with others for housing and medical treatment.

The House budget fully funds GAU. The reform bill renames it the Disability Lifeline. We support the House budget for Disability Lifeline (GAU) and ask you to ask your legislators to do the same.

Sarajane Siegfriedt

Organizing for America coming to North Seattle

Organizing for America‘s Organizing Committee Meetings are a chance for OFA staff to talk with volunteers across our state about OFA’s legislative and electoral plan for 2010. As an organization, we have come a long way in the past year. We have lessons to learn from the budget pledge drive, health insurance reform and the Massachusetts Senate Race.

The Strategy Sessions are a time to bring those lessons together and look to the future. Staff will talk through national strategy and simultaneously gather feedback from our supporters for our plan to lead OFA forward in 2010.

The North Seattle Organizing Committee will be on Thursday, February 25th starting at 6pm at the University Heights Community Center located at 5031 University Way NE.

If you have any questions or would like to RSVP, please contact Priscilla at (206) 295-2126 or minp@dnc.org.

Please download this flyer and spread the word about this meeting!

Our LegActionTeam in the news!

Seattle Times' columnist Lance Dickie wrote about efforts in this Legislative session to clean up Puget Sound. He included one of the King County Democrats' legislative priorities, the safe medicine return bill:

"One smart bill that did not survive legislative deadlines was a medicine-return program that created a statewide system for environmentally safe disposal of opiates, prescription drugs and over-the-counter products. It was a sane option to flushing pills down the toilet or having them filched by prescription-drug abusers of all ages. It had broad support — law enforcement, drugstores and successful programs in Snohomish and Clark counties — but could not overcome Big Pharma."

This is a bill that one of our members worked hard on. We agree that the bill and its key lobbyist 46th member Margaret Shield are plenty smart, but the massed forces of Big Pharma were too much for a very broad-based coalition of youth and drug prevention advocates, law enforcement and municipalities.

Click over to the Seattle Times article for more about efforts to clean up Puget Sound:

The Seattle Times Company:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2011121836_lance19.html

Originally published Thursday, February 18, 2010 at 4:03 PM

Lance Dickie / Seattle Times editorial columnist

Legislative Update from Rep. Scott White

Dear Friends,

It’s hard to believe we are already half-way through the short 60-day session.

There is still not much solid news to report. Gov. Gregoire recently signed the first three new laws of 2010. All three were devoted to paring state expenses with modest steps such as freezing new government hiring and reducing travel and equipment costs. But the real budget battles are still ahead.

That is one reason why I am writing. We need our 46th District families and businesses to have a strong voice when the major budget and legislative decisions of 2010 are made over the next several weeks. That is why I recently sent out a district-wide survey of citizen priorities, and why the entire 46th District legislative team is holding a Town Hall Meeting on Saturday morning.

46th District survey—still time to respond

It’s not too late to share your priorities and thoughts on my district survey. If you or a member of your household would like another copy of the survey, all you need to do is click the 2010 survey link to download a copy. Then it is just a matter of printing it out and mailing it back to me.

By the way, I’ve told House leaders that citizens should have an easy way to fill out surveys online—because it is faster, more convenient, more environmentally-friendly, and also less expensive, since there are no mailing costs. We are working to create an online survey system now, but it is still in the pilot phase and probably won’t be fully ready until next year. I’ll keep you posted on progress.

Town Hall Meeting just days away

I hope you can find some time to join our Town Hall Meeting at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday morning at the Meadowbrook Community Center. Because of the recession, we face some extremely difficult choices concerning budget and revenue issues. My job is to represent you and our neighbors as these decisions are made, and I’d like to hear a full range of views as we prepare for the major budget, revenue and policy decisions that will literally be made in the next four weeks.

Our community Town Hall will also give me a chance to update you on the progress of the 2010 legislation I’ve proposed. I’m happy to report that a number of the measures I’ve proposed recently passed the House of Representatives with overwhelming support from both Democratic and Republican lawmakers. I’ll be sharing details at the Town Hall.

Let’s keep in touch!

If you can’t attend the Town Hall, please remember that you can always get a message to me quickly by email, phone or regular mail. Representing you is a pleasure as well as an honor, so don’t hesitate to call or write with your advice or questions. I will never forget that you are the reason why I’m here.

Scott

Our February Program

Every month, we try to conduct a program that will interest our members and be a draw to the larger community. In February, we hope we have put together a panel that will catch your attention and inform you about the decisions we have to make in the near future. Please join us on February 18th!

Global Climate Change: From Science to Action

Humans are conducting a kind of "science experiment" on the planet. Every year we release over 30 billion tons of atmospheric CO2 along with many other pollutants, including 400 billion pounds of reactive nitrogen in fertilizer.

The experiment asks: What happens to a planet when subjected to these conditions?

The changes that have been documented so far include atmospheric CO2 rise, sea level rise, ocean acidification, polar ice decrease, glacial retreat, early onset of Spring, and many others. Although it is hard to model these changes, a significant majority of scientists agree human pollutants are the primary cause and the worst-case predictions for this century are very distressing.

Is this an experiment we want to continue?

Our three speakers are very concerned and have chosen to speak publicly. Even if you don't share their sense of urgency to act, their views will provide a sense of urgency to learn more about this issue.

Bob Brown is a UW Emeritus Professor of Atmospheric Science. He has done research and writing on the mathematics of atmospheric dynamics and has, for many years, been involved in the collection and analysis of satellite data. He will report on the very latest developments in global warming theory and data.

Guillaume Mauger is a climate scientist with the UW Climate Impacts Group studying concrete, identifiable changes resulting from climate change. During his personal time, he studies what we can do to minimize the impacts of climate change, and provides scientific advice to citizen groups. He will tell us about greenhouse gas emissions targets and current Federal legislation designed to reach them.

Doug Howell is the Campaign Director for the Sierra Club's NW Beyond Coal campaign. He has an extensive background in energy policy at Seattle City Light and elsewhere. He is on the forefront of efforts to take action to promote the move away from fossil fuels, especially coal, to clean alternatives. He will discuss Washington State issues, including current negotiations between the Governor and TransAlta (owner of the Centralia coal plant), related legislation, and the status of I-937.

2010 Budget Proposal

Our Executive Board met last night and approved consideration of the proposed 2010 Budget for the district. The budget proposal reflects our expectations for the year, but does not include the Cole Fund.

The money that we received from the Raymond T. Cole Trust has been invested in a revolving set of Certificates of Deposit. As we develop our 5,10 and 20 year plans, we will have more details on a budget for the fund later in the year. However, as this has been placed outside of the normal operating budget, it is not appropriate to include in the Operating Budget that will be approved in February.

Please take a look at the proposed budget. Questions before or at the meeting may be directed to our Finance Chair, Kathryn Lewis, or our Chair, Chad Lupkes.

REMINDER: PLATFORM-DEVELOPMENT MEETING THIS SATURDAY!

You are invited to participate, with your Platform Committee, in a “grass-roots” meeting this coming Saturday, February 6, to help develop the 46th District Democrats’ 2010 platform.

As a part of our State Democrats’ biennial process, all local Democratic organizations have been invited to adopt platforms at their upcoming caucuses. Our caucus will occur on March 14, and it is the duty of your Platform Committee to develop and present a recommended draft platform for your consideration on that occasion, facilitated by the draft’s being included in the Official Call to the caucus.

You will recall, from the excitement of Presidential year 2008, that our platform development that year began with submission of ideas at February precinct caucuses throughout the District. Our previous platform, that of 2006, was re-examined in light of those ideas and an appropriately updated draft for 2008 was presented at the District Caucus in April (after being included in the Call to that event).

This year, however, without the draw of a Presidential-nomination contest, our State Democratic Central Committee decided to forgo the initial step of precinct caucuses and commence the process with caucuses at the next level, which in our case means the Legislative District Democratic organization. As a substitute for the grass-roots contributions from our constituent precincts, we have scheduled this Saturday’s meeting – to hear from YOU!

In the meantime, your Platform Committee has not been idle. A lengthy, plank-by-plank examination of our 2008 adopted platform is almost complete, and we will have a Committee-updated draft ready for your review as a starting point at Saturday’s meeting. We expect to finish that draft at the Committee’s next meeting, this Thursday night, and to have it ready ASAP thereafter for posting on the District’s website, 46dems.com. While waiting for that to occur, it would be wise to prepare yourself for the Saturday meeting by taking another look at that starting point, our 2008 platform (already on the website, via the “Resources” link).

Saturday’s meeting will be held at Olympic View Community Church, 425 NE 95th St. (our former LD meeting site), beginning at 10 a.m. and ending at noon. Please come and give us your reactions and other ideas! Your Committee will carefully consider your contributions and devote its remaining February meetings to developing a final draft for inclusion in the Call and consideration at our March 14 District caucus.

Hope to see you there!

Dean Fournier, Platform Committee Chair

Chad Lupkes, Chair

Legislative Update from Representative Phyllis Kenney

Let’s put Washington back to work

Today marks the beginning of week three in the 2010 legislative session, and things are really moving quickly. We passed our first bill on Wednesday, and I'm very happy to report that it’s a big one, aimed at creating jobs in every corner of our state.

The Jobs Act of 2010, expected to create 38,000 jobs, was approved the same day unemployment numbers in our state grew to 9.5% -- the highest level since 1984. The Seattle Metropolitan unemployment rate is slightly below that at 9.2%. The bill will not only provide good-paying jobs, it will repair our public schools and universities, making them safer, healthier and more energy efficient.

It's an innovative way to create a lot of jobs because most of the work is self-financed. Here's an example of how it works: energy contractors do an audit of an elementary school and estimate how much could be saved in power costs, every year, by replacing old leaky windows, putting in a heat pump instead of a furnace and using better insulation.

Then the money saved on electricity each month is used to finance the work. Contractors are careful and good at this now, because if the savings don't materialize, it's in the contract that they're on the hook to repay the bonds.

Schools and universities like this creative idea, because after the projects are paid off, they get to keep the money saved every month in lower electricity bills. Once these projects are done, taxpayers will save $190 million a year in reduced energy costs.

The Jobs Act passed the House 57-41, and now it's being considered by the Senate, but ultimately you will decide if this is the right thing to do – the JOBS Act, if passed by the Senate, will be on the ballot in November for your consideration.

There are other ideas for creating jobs, and we'll be voting on more bills in the House along with some ideas from Gov. Chris Gregoire.

But the Jobs Act is important because it's one thing we can do to create a lot of jobs for some of the people hit hardest by the global recession: construction workers.

The latest estimate is that 40,000 construction workers are out of a job right now. If you look at the average weekly unemployment check -- $400 dollars -- and multiply that by all those hard hats standing in the unemployment line, it's more than $2 million a day.

I believe we can -- and should -- put those good people back to work. Their paychecks help stimulate our whole economy. Let's have them pick up their hammers, put their hard hats back on and put them to work building us better schools and universities.

Budget cutting process underway

On Friday, the House passed the first budget bill of the session. As you’ve heard, there is a revenue shortfall of about $2.6 billion that must be addressed between now and June 30, 2011.

That number will move up and down as we get new information regarding caseloads and revenue forecasts, but it’s safe to say we have a pretty big problem facing us. After balancing a $9.2 billion shortfall last year, this may seem easy by comparison, but in reality it is much harder.

The early saving bill comes only twelve days into the 2010 session and allows legislators to capture some early savings without waiting to vote on the full supplemental budget, a budget that won't be approved until the final days of session.

The bill makes $46.7 million in savings and extends numerous cost-saving measures approved by the Legislature last session.

The savings include:

• $18.6 million in administrative savings such as not hiring for vacant positions and reducing contract, travel and equipment spending.
• $9.4 million in efficiency savings such as consolidating printing functions in DSHS and expediting nursing home discharges.
• $10 million in service reductions to programs such as the Passport foster care program or Special Commitment Center services.
• $8.7 million in underexpenditures/federal funds including money unspent in the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction.

The measure now heads to the Senate.

I am interested in hearing any of ideas for savings, efficiencies, and cuts to our state’s budget.

Donation to the American Red Cross Haiti Relief Fund

Date: January 22, 2010


To: American Red Cross Haiti Relief Fund
P.O. Box 37243
Washington D.C. 20013

Subject: Donation

Last night at our January General Membership meeting for Washington State’s 46th District Democratic Organization, we received a unanimous vote from our members to send the proceeds from their contributions for food and beverage provided at that event to support your efforts in Haiti.

These monies are normally intended to help fund our operating expenses and it is with great pride that we put these in your hands for appropriate use. The amount we collected was $300.

Sincerely,

Stan Moffett, Treasurer
46th District Democrats
Seattle, WA

cc: Chad Lupkes, Chairman
46th District Democrats
Seattle, WA

Legislative update from Sen. Ken Jacobsen

Dear Neighbors:

We have just begun the 2010 legislative session in Olympia. Currently we are facing a $2.6 billion shortfall, and you have probably heard news reports of the possibility of even deeper cuts that could detrimentally affect our workforce, healthcare infrastructure and economic security. I want you to know that in the face of this challenge I remain committed to promoting your goals and keeping my pledge to represent the people of the 46th Legislative District here in Olympia.

I am sending this e-newsletter to update you on some bills that I am working on. I would welcome any input or feedback you might have on this legislation.

A Food Policy Council for a Vibrant and Sustainable Statewide Food System

Clearly there is scope for improvement when it comes to our food system in Washington State. In the face of challenges to our agricultural economy, a concern for food safety and other issues of public health such as high rates of obesity, it is imperative that the Legislature produce a solution to better secure the food system in our state.

To that end, I have sponsored Senate Bill (SB) 6343 which would create a food council whose purpose is to tackle the very problems that currently plague our food system.

Among the several goals the Food Policy Council would be responsible for are:

• To develop programs that would promote the production of healthy food grown in our State for the people of our State.
• To protect resources needed for sustained local food production.
• To reduce food insecurity and hunger in Washington State.

SB 6343 had its first reading on January 12, 2010 and has been referred to the Agriculture & Rural Economic Development Committee.

Near-Term Benefits to Sustainable Recreation

Due to the projected budget shortfall there is a possibility that more than twenty trail systems and campgrounds operated by the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will be closed in late March. Included on the potential list are the popular Mount Si and Little Si trailheads (500,000 visitors combined last year) as well as popular recreation sites in the South Sound.

To prevent any closures I have sponsored SB 6237 which would provide a short-term infusion of general-fund money to keep the sites open. To ensure the future of these sites, SB 6237 would also grant the DNR authority to charge fees for use of certain recreation facilities for events hosted on DNR lands, among other options to generate additional revenue to keep these sites open.

I know firsthand the joy these recreation sites can provide and will do my best to ensure that they remain accessible to the public.

I encourage you to share your thoughts with me. You can find more information on issues by visiting my Web site at http://sdc.leg.wa.gov/jacobsen.htm.

Sincerely,
Ken

About the 2010 Senate Race

Word has arrived through blogs and press releases that Senator Ken Jacobsen will face a Primary challenge in 2010 from David Frockt, an attorney who lives in our district. Mr. Frockt has also called me to let me know that he was starting his run. This gives me an opportunity to review the mission of the 46th District Democrats:

The purpose of the organization shall be to promote citizen participation in the Democratic Party, advance the 46th District Democrats’ platform, and support and work for the election of Democratic candidates and candidates for nonpartisan office who demonstrably espouse the principles contained in that platform.

As chair of our organization, it is my job to be fair to all candidates who seek our endorsement. Mr. Frockt called me yesterday to let me know that he had made his announcement, and mentioned that he had observed my efforts to be fair during the 2009 election. I promised to him that I would continue to be fair during 2010.

Senator Ken Jacobsen has been in Olympia since he was first elected to the State House in 1982. David Frockt is an attorney working on corporate accountability. As Democrats, we welcome discussion and debate. It looks to me like we're going to get some good discussions and debate during this contest.

I look forward to hearing from all candidates who are willing to put "Prefers the Democratic Party" when they file for office, and what I will be most interested in hearing is how their experience and their values will help us push our platform in Olympia.

The endorsement vote will be held during our June meeting. There will also be a Democratic Nomination vote by our PCO's, likely at that meeting as well. May the best campaign win.

Building our Network

Hi everyone,

2010 is another important election year, and we are going to need all the help that we can get to push President Obama, Congress and Olympia in the right direction. I hope we can count on your help and support.

I am going through our Membership Database, and I'm trying to build our online networks. If you are on any of these websites, please join us!

Facebook

Twitter

46-Democrats on Yahoo Groups

Democrats.org/PartyBuilder

LinkedIn

I am on many more social networking sites, so if you have one that you would like to see listed, please let me know.

I am focused on what I said that I would do when I ran for Chair in January, 2009. Community, Community, Community. Please help!

Chad

Legislative Update from Rep. Scott White

Governor Gregoire released her 2010 supplemental state budget proposal this week and, as required by state law, it was structured around the most current state revenue forecast. As we discussed a couple weeks ago, that forecast predicted a $2.6 billion shortfall in the two-year budget approved last April.

To fill that gap, the Governor proposes eliminating dozens and dozens of state programs and services. Some of the more well-known examples include:

• The Basic Health Plan, which provides 69,000 low-income people with health care and which currently has another 100,000 people on a waiting list for enrollment.
• Levy equalization, which provides nearly $150 million for property-poor school districts
• Early learning for three-year-old children
• Maternity Support Services for low-income women
• State Need Grant to help low-income students attend college

The Governor has stated that the cuts included in the balanced budget she proposed, as required by state law, are unacceptable. I couldn’t agree more.

Choices are pretty limited

In reality, our state budget has very little flexibility to deal with hard economic times. In legislative-speak, it’s the difference between mandated funding and discretionary funding. Mandated funding means just that; the amount we are obligated to pay to certain services and programs, like public education, based on state law and our constitution.

Those obligations amount to about 70% of our total state budget. That leaves only 30% – the “discretionary funds” that pay for everything else. It is only from that small slice of the budget that reductions can be made. This means that without additional funds, $2.6 billion must be cut from about $9 billion in non-mandated funding.

It is our responsibility to respond to this economic crisis

Washington families are wrestling with an economic meltdown that started with the CEOs on Wall Street and is exacerbated by those millionaire moguls who are driven by greed with no consideration for the economic vitality and well being of our country, state, and local communities. While this crisis isn’t our fault, it is our responsibility to respond the best way we can.

Thanks to smart decisions and investments made in the past, Washington state was one of the last to feel the pain of high unemployment and skyrocketing caseloads resulting from the national recession. In fact, Washington state is nationally recognized as a good steward of the public purse strings. Last year, we were one of only a few states given an “A-” by Governing Magazine in its 2008 Government Performance Project.

Last session, we balanced our budget with a combination of federal stimulus aid, $4 billion in cuts to discretionary programs and services, and fund transfers from other state sources. This budget eliminated about 3,000 government jobs, suspended pay raises for all state employees, increased the share of health care costs paid by many workers, and asked agencies to find other ways to cut costs. The priority was preserving the jobs of those who serve our citizens on the front lines—still, deep cuts were made to many programs throughout State government with negative impacts on real people in our communities.

Today, largely because of continuing declines in sales tax revenues and a lagging recovery, we now face this additional shortfall in the second half of our state’s 2009-2011 budget.

Smart recovery doesn’t require sacrificing our values

Good management in the best of times requires even better management—and strong leadership—in the worst of times. Much of my work in the 2010 legislative session will be focused on putting people back to work and protecting services that are critical to the health of our communities. I believe that the Legislature must look at new revenues to support programs that provide critical services to the citizens of Washington State.

We want a smart recovery, and that means job creation today and educational opportunities that will attract the jobs of tomorrow. But a smart recovery also means taking care of our families, the unprecedented number of people who are struggling to find a job, and those who require help caring for themselves. These priorities reflect the core values of our state.

The Governor has proposed a budget that, without any new revenue, means eliminating many of the programs that have provided hope, health and opportunity for thousands of people. Again, the Governor has stated that the cuts included in the balanced budget she was required to propose are unacceptable. And again, I completely agree that these cuts are unacceptable.

Please know that I will be working with my colleagues to evaluate additional cuts and new revenues this session. While some budget reductions will be necessary, it is important that we secure some funding for critical programs such as Apple Health for Kids, Basic Health Plan, long-term care for our elderly, support for people with disabilities and needed investments in K-12 and higher education.

As always, please contact my office with any questions, comments or concerns. Your input is important to me and an integral part of our democracy!