Keep up the pressues as legislature enters second week of special session

Lawmakers took the day off Sunday while House and Senate budget negotiators tried to work out a deal that will send them home for good.

Conflicting revenue packages were adopted before they left. The governor is trying to referee that disagreement. So the budget, revenue and loophole stalemate continues. We can’t let legislators forget your issues.

HERE ARE THREE THINGS YOU CAN DO:
 

We have one overall message you can send (the other calls to action are below):

1. Call 1-800-562-6000. Tell your legislators to close tax loopholes on big out-of-state banks in the final state budget (ESSB 6444) so we can keep health care funded, stable and affordable for our families.
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2. If you’re able, join with our revenue coalition partners for two job actions Monday and Tuesday at the Capitol in Olympia.
   
   MONDAY: Sign waving and handing out donuts. Meet at Tivoli Fountain for sign waving, 9-10 a.m., and then head into the Capitol to hand out donuts with the message: “There’s a hole in the budget—fill the hole—close tax loopholes.”
   
   TUESDAY: Sign waving, messages to legislators and handing out “Close loopholes” donuts, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
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3. Keep the calls and e-mails coming to legislators:
   
   E-mails and direct calls to legislators’ offices: Go to the state Legislature’s site (www.leg.wa.gov) and click “Find Your Legislator” at ( http://apps.leg.wa.gov/DistrictFinder/Default.aspx ) and put in your address, city and zip. You’ll then get the names of your three legislators with phone number and a link to send an e-mail.
   
   Or call the Legislature’s toll-free message hotline, 1-800-562-6000, which is open from 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Friday.

The messages:

• HEALTH INSURANCE:  Tell legislators to fund state worker health insurance with at least $65 million in General Fund-State funds in the final budget (ESSB 6444) for state employee health care. And no mandate to bargain over premiums! 

• FURLOUGHS:  The ball is in the House’s court. The Senate repassed the furlough bill, it’s still alive on the House floor, and the proposed House amendment to take away your personal holiday is still in play. Tell your legislators: OPPOSE ESSB 6503, the state employee furlough bill.

• REVENUE AND LOOPHOLES:  Urge legislators to raise revenue and close tax loophole in the final state budget, ESSB 6444.

• RESIDENTIAL HABILITATION CENTERS:  Urge your legislators to oppose SB 6182, the RHC wipeout bill. 

• INSTITUTIONS CLOSURES:  The Senate and House budgets are far apart, with the Senate generally wanting to close more state RHCs, JRA facilities and Corrections centers than the House. But they’re all at risk in the short term (Frances Haddon Morgan Center, Maple Lane School, Pine Lodge Corrections Center for Women) and long-run (all RHCs, most JRA, Pine Lodge). Urge your legislators to oppose closures of state institutions in the supplemental budget (ESSB 6444)!