Keep momentum building by turning out for Saturday's Town Hall meetings; more Capitol nuggets you need to know

You overwhelmed Tim Eyman at last Saturday’s revenue hearing and you swamped the Teabaggers at Monday’s rally.

Now it’s time to take that momentum into this weekend’s legislative town hall meetings around the state. If you live in the following districts, plan to turn out with your questions about why we can’t raise revenue and close tax loopholes instead of closing caring institutions, slashing public safety and cutting jobs? 

The districts with town hall meetings this Saturday, Feb. 20, are: 6, 11, 23, 25, 26, 34, 37, 45 and 48.

For a full schedule with times and locations, go to WFSE.org > Action Center.

In addition, three Revenue Coalition town hall meetings with legislators have been set for next week: Tuesday, Feb. 23, in Vancouver; Wednesday, Feb. 24, in Everett; and Thursday, Feb. 25, in Bellingham. 

• Download Legislator Town Halls flyer here.
• Download Coalition Town Halls flyer here.

KEEP THE MOMENTUM GOING IN UPCOMING RALLIES

• UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON, to fight program cuts and attacks on state employees, 10:45 a.m. – 2 p.m., tomorrow, Thursday, Feb. 18, Red Square (near Suzzallo Library).

• RALLY TO SAVE PALS (PROGRAM FOR ADAPTIVE LIVING SKILLS) at Western State Hospital, Noon, Wednesday, March 3, near the flagpole at the main entrance.

• SAVE PINE LODGE, TBA. Watch for details.

KEEP THE MOMENTUM GOING WITH CALLS ON THE FOUR KEY ISSUES:

Call 1-800-562-6000. Tell your legislators:

• STOP HEALTH CUTS! Tell them to do the right thing. Restore the $300 million in state employee health insurance funds. They created the problem when they underfunded your health plan in 2008. Tell them that only half of that needs to be state funds—the rest would be from federal and other funds.

• RAISE REVENUE! SUPPORT ESSB 6130 to amend I-960 and allow majority rule on revenue issues. The House debated this bill Wednesday morning, but has deferred a final vote until at least 8 p.m. Wednesday. 

• CLOSE TAX LOOPHOLES! SUPPORT HB 3176 to close tax loopholes to recoup hundreds of millions of dollars in lost revenue.

• OPPOSE FURLOUGHS! OPPOSE SSB 6503, the state employee furlough bill. Its unintended consequences will cost more, not less.

You can also take online action at www.wfse.org > Action Center.

CAPITOL NUGGETS YOU NEED TO KNOW
 

Nugget No. 1: The Senate late Monday night passed the Federation-initiated interpreters’ collective bargaining bill on a vote of 29-19. It now comes over to the House, where it has a hearing Friday in the House Commerce and Labor Committee.

Nugget No. 2: The governor has signed into law SHB 2998, the good bill that suspends bonuses and other special pay for those in the Washington Management Service and exempt service. The new law also suspends WMS “growth and development” increases. Awaiting the governor’s signature is SSB 6382, extending the freeze on WMS and EMS salary and wage increases.

Nugget No. 3: The Federation supported bill to add a labor representative on the boards of trustees at state community colleges has a hearing Friday in the Senate Higher Education and Workforce Development Committee. SHB 2717 passed the House 52-37 on Feb. 13.

Nugget No. 4: Up for hearing Friday in the Senate Human Services and Corrections Committee are two troubling bills: SHB 2717, the legislative response to last fall’s Eastern State Hospital escape; and 2SHB 1357, the bill licensing social workers.

Nugget No. 5: Tuesday was the deadline for most House bills to pass the House and most Senate bills to pass the Senate. In coming days, we’ll recap what should be dead and what is still alive. The next major deadlines are Feb. 23 for most Senate bills to clear House committees and Feb. 26 for most House bills to pass Senate committees.