3/9/10 HOTLINE: Call legislators to support House funding level on health care, no furlough language, revenue increases; candlelight vigil at Capitol Tuesday night; more

3/9/10

    This is the Federation Hotline for Tuesday.


UPDATED CALL TO ACTION

    The House budget is closer to the shared sacrifices/raising revenue/closing tax loopholes model you’ve been pushing for. The House passed its version of the budget (ESSB 6444) Friday and sent it back to the Senate. House and Senate conferees now must work out a compromise.

    The House put in $65 million that keeps out-of-pocket health care costs at current levels. Language directing the governor to immediately negotiate a new premium split is troubling and possibly illegal. (The Legislature can’t dictate to the governor or unions in this way—they vote up or down on economic issues once a contract is negotiated.)

    So we have our comprehensive call to action again later in this message. But lead with this:

3/9/10 CALL TO ACTION

    Call 1-800-562-6000. Tell legislators to support the House funding level in ESSB 6444 on health benefits (without the bargaining proviso) and no mandatory furloughs and continue efforts to raise more revenue to head off what could be another 2,000 layoffs.


JOB ACTIONS CONTINUE



    We now have reports back from Saturday’s big rally in Medical Lake. The Spokane Spokesman-Review estimated 350 members and allies showed up to picket at a busy intersection there. They sent a message to save Pine Lodge Corrections Center for Women, to reject legislation wiping out Lakeland Village and other residential habilitation centers and to stop cutbacks at Eastern State Hospital. Speakers included Medical Lake Mayor John Higgins, City Councilmember Howard Jorgenson (a former Federation president), DD activist Duwane Huffaker (another former Federation president), Federation President Carol Dotlich and several activists from the targeted institutions.



    On Monday, dozens of Federation members in Olympia picked up the grassroots campaign of spontaneous, impromptu job actions by staging a death march to the Capitol to protest cuts in funding for services and potential cuts in health insurance. Led by a marcher dressed as the Grim Reaper and four pallbearers carrying a casket, the protesters chanted “Cut loopholes, not health care!”

    Meanwhile, lawmakers inside debated revenue increases.

    Tuesday night, the Federation-led coalition pushing for revenues and closing tax loopholes holds a “Candlelight Vigil for Our Future” at the state Capitol. It’ll be 6-8 p.m. inside in the Capitol rotunda. It’s meant to be a positive event to bolster legislative allies in the final days of the regular 60-day session. And if you’re wondering, because of fire code regulations, glow sticks will supply the “candlelight.”


STOP THE RHC WIPEOUT BILL!

    The Senate Ways and Means Committee resurrected a dead bill from 2009 that would wipe out all RHCs and passed it out of committee March 3.

    Senate Bill 6182 now goes to the Senate Rules Committee, which schedules bills for votes of the full Senate. We need calls to the Rules Committee to keep SB 6182 off the Senate floor.

    SB 6182 is bad. It would wipe out the statutory authority for all RHCs: Rainier School, Frances Haddon Morgan Center, Yakima Valley School, Fircrest School and Lakeland Village.

    SB 6182 would allow the governor to immediately shut down any or all RHCs.

CALL TO ACTION:

1. Call 1-800-562-6000 and urge your senator to oppose SB 6182. RHCs are quality campuses that care for some of our state’s most profoundly disabled citizens when there are no resources for the kind of community care they need.

2. Contact members of the Senate Rules Committee, especially if the senator from your district is on the committee. Especially call if your senator is on the list of committee members below. If you’re able to call or e-mail them directly from your own phone and computer and on your own time, please do so.


SENATE RULES COMMITTEE

Chair: Lt. Gov. Brad Owen
(360) 786-7700
ltgov@leg.wa.gov

Franklin, Rosa
Dist. 29
(360) 786-7656
franklin.rosa@leg.wa.gov

Hewitt, Mike
Dist. 16
(360) 786-7630
hewitt.mike@leg.wa.gov

Brown, Lisa
Dist. 3
(360) 786-7604
brown.lisa@leg.wa.gov

Eide, Tracey
Dist. 30
(360) 786-7658
eide.tracey@leg.wa.gov

Fraser, Karen   
Dist. 22
(360) 786-7642
fraser.karen@leg.wa.gov

King, Curtis
Dist. 14
(360) 786-7626
king.curtis@leg.wa.gov

Kohl-Welles, Jeanne
Dist. 36
(360) 786-7670
kohl-welles@leg.wa.gov

Marr, Chris
Dist. 6
(360) 786-7610
marr.chris@leg.wa.gov

Murray, Ed
Dist. 43
(360) 786-7628
murray.ed@leg.wa.gov

Parlette, Linda Evans
Dist. 12
(360) 786-7622
parlette.linda@leg.wa.gov

Pridemore, Craig
Dist. 49
(360) 786-7696
pridemore.craig@leg.wa.gov

Regala, Debbie
Dist. 27
(360) 786-7652   
regala.debbie@leg.wa.gov

Schoesler, Mark
Dist. 9
(360) 786-7620
schoesler.mark@leg.wa.gov

Stevens, Val
Dist. 39
(360) 786-7676
stevens.val@leg.wa.gov

Zarelli, Joseph
Dist. 18
(360) 786-7634
zarelli.joseph@leg.wa.gov


CRITICAL DAYS AHEAD—KEEP THE PRESSURE ON

3/9/10 CALL TO ACTION

    Call 1-800-562-6000. Tell legislators to support the House funding level in ESSB 6444 on health benefits (without the bargaining proviso) and no mandatory furloughs and continue efforts to raise more revenue to head off what could be another 2,000 layoffs.


KEEP THE MOMENTUM GOING WITH CALLS ON THE KEY ISSUES:

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

• CLOSE TAX LOOPHOLES! SUPPORT HB 3176 to close tax loopholes. It will 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. Several proposed but unadopted floor amendments also await action in the House. The House version of the budget (ESSB 6444) passed March 5 does not mandate furloughs but directs agencies to reduce compensation costs.

• OPPOSE INSTITUTIONS CLOSURES!

• PASS INTERPRETERS’ COLLECTIVE BARGAINING BILL, E2SSB 6726. Give state Medicaid interpreters a voice on economics and workplace issues and a seat at the table on a reform-oriented work group. It has passed both houses, but the Senate must now take up House amendments.


SHARED LEAVE REQUEST:

    Finally, a shared leave request:

IN NEED OF SHARED LEAVE: Janice Walker, a WorkSource specialist 4 in Thurston County and a member of Local 53, is in desperate need of shared leave. To assist Janice with a donation of eligible unused annual leave or sick leave or all or part of your personal holiday, contact Kathleen Young at (360) 902-9413.


    That’s it for now. Call Wednesday for the next message but this may be updated sooner as events warrant.

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