32nd District Democrats

We the people...

Legislative Update

Dear Neighbors,

We know you are concerned with the decline in tax revenue and the budget crisis. Here are a few things we have done so far to deal with the budget crisis:

1. Cut $730 million from the current budget

• Cut agency overhead
• Halt hiring in state government
• No equipment purchases over $1,000
• Freeze salaries for state employees
• Cut spending in areas such as nursing homes, mental health care and hospitals.

2. We have more eyes on the budget, scouring for savings and looking for cuts than ever before

• Three appropriations committees going through all their parts of the budget line-by-line
• Those recommendations are due this weekend and a full budget will be released in about a week.

3. Our budget is mostly based on sales tax. Because people are worried about the economy, worried about losing their jobs, we aren’t buying nearly much. Getting people back to work is the first priority. We are:

• Providing $450 million in tax relief for businesses (UI conformity)
• Increasing retraining for those unemployed to get the jobs of tomorrow
• Creating 3,300 Washington jobs with the transportation stimulus package
• Streamlining permit process between businesses and state agencies

You may have questions about domestic partnerships legislation:

• This legislation simply gives domestic partner families the same rights and protections that married families receive under the law. There are more than 5,100 couples registered as domestic partners in our state. These couples deserve the same rights that married couples receive, especially in these difficult economic times.
• Provisions of this legislation with a fiscal impact —mainly those related to the estate tax and public-employee pension and survivorship benefits —would not
• take effect until 2014, in recognition of the state budget’s current downturn.

They’ll be phased in as the economy and state budget improves.

• This legislation imposes no requirements on schools or churches.
• This legislation has nothing to do with gay marriage. It’s about fairness and treating people equally.

We have addressed 14 other issues which are posted here on the web site. Please feel free to contact either of us for additional information to clarify your position or if you have points of view you would like us to consider. These are times that test our humanity and the goodness we all share. Please be gentle with each other and lend a helping hand if you can.

Maralyn and Ruth

Issue Briefs