Author Archives: brianzylstra

Short to governor: finding a fix for Hirst water decision not a ‘distraction’

In October 2016 the state Supreme Court issued a ruling, in what is known as the Hirst case, that forces local and county governments to verify themselves whether water is available for a new household well to support a building-permit application. The decision meant local and county governments could no longer rely on Department of Ecology data about water availability. Property owners are now having to spend thousands of dollars on studies with no guarantee that a permit to install a well will be issued. The decision ended a long-accepted practice and has resulted in the sharp decline of development in rural counties.  A legislative remedy approved by the Senate was “killed” by the House majority recently, with barely two weeks left in the regular 2017 legislative session.

In a press conference this week, Gov. Jay Inslee said rural water-well issues shouldn’t be a distraction for lawmakers. Sen. Shelly Short, R-Addy, offered this response:

“The Hirst decision threatens to destroy economies in rural Washington. That is not a distraction. Development in my district is grinding to a halt. Plummeting property values will only make funding education in rural districts that much harder. Finding a Hirst fix that works is critical to ensuring stable funding for our education system.

“Our obligation to fully fund education does not exist in a vacuum. Many policy decisions we make will affect our ability to fund basic education in this state. I encourage Governor Inslee to avoid being distracted by national politics and work with us to find a Hirst solution that will help us amply fund basic education, protect residential water rights and ensure the stability of rural economies for years to come.

“As legislators, we are accustomed to working on a myriad of issues at the same time.  I am confident that we can accomplish both education-funding reform and a remedy for the Hirst ruling.”

Legislative Update – Feb. 28, 2017

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

I hope this update finds you well. As you may have noticed by the banner above, I was recently appointed to the Senate to replace Sen. Brian Dansel who resigned to take a job in Washington D.C. Thank you for your continued confidence in me. It is a tremendous honor to serve you in Olympia.

This new position comes with a few new rules. One such rule requires people who wish to receive my email updates to “opt-in.” I send out periodic e-mail updates throughout session to keep you informed of important issues and to solicit your thoughts. It is critical that if you wish to continue receiving these updates that you click the banner below or subscribe here.

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Join us next week where we will discuss the proposed solutions to the Hirst decision, and measure we are taking to protect your access to water. Sign up here!

My First Senate Bill – Bringing jobs back to Rural Washington

Rural economies have been slow to recover and one-size-fits-all laws and regulations create unnecessary roadblocks to job creation in our communities. I am proud that Senate Bill 5790 was my first bill to pass off the senate floor because it will provide rural counties and cities more flexibility under the Growth Management Act.

It will allow counties and cities to adjust development plans to boost economic growth in times of economic deterioration. The law also allows counties to provide for job creation and economic development in their comprehensive plans and requires the Growth Management Hearings Board to consider local elected officials economic development decisions when their communities face economic hardship.

Noxious Weeds on State Lands

Lack of state action to control noxious weeds on state lands are burdensome on adjacent landowners and local noxious weed boards. Yesterday, the Senate passed my bill, SB 5754, that would allow our counties to recover costs from the state for noxious weed control on state lands. Currently, state law allows counties to take action to control noxious weeds at the cost of the landowner when the landowner does not. However, when the state is the landowner, the county cannot recover the cost. This bill will allow a county to place a lien on the state land and collect the cost it spent to control the noxious weeds.

Telephone Town Hall Recap

Last week I joined Rep. Kretz and Rep. Maycumber for another telephone town hall. Again, we had tremendous participation with over 3,000 people joining the call. I appreciate everyone who took the time to submit questions and participate in our live survey. We asked three questions about issues important to the 7th District:

  1. How do you feel about the economy where you work and live?
  2. The federal government is now considering reintroducing grizzly bears to Washington State. What do you think of this effort?
  3. With record- setting wildfires the past few years, what do you think of the command structure used to fight the fires? Form the people making the decisions of who goes where with what, and how those commands were relayed down to the “boots on the ground.”

You can view the results to the survey here.

Contact My New Office

If you have any comments, questions or concerns about the questions above or any other issues of interest please do not hesitate to call, write or email my office. Again, it is a tremendous honor to represent the people of the 7th District.

Phone: (360) 786-7612

Email: Shelly.Short@leg.wa.gov

Mail: P.O. Box 40407

Olympia, Washington  98504-0407

Senate passes Short bill to control noxious weed cost

OLYMPIA…Yesterday, the Senate passed legislation that would allow local noxious weed boards to recover the cost of work performed on state land.

“Lack of state action to control noxious weeds on state lands is burdensome on adjacent landowners, local weed boards and our counties,” said Sen. Shelly Short, R-Addy. “This bill makes sure that local property owners don’t have to foot the bill for weed control on state owned lands.”

Senate Bill 5754 would allow our counties to recover costs from the state for noxious weed control on state lands. Currently, state law allows counties to take action to control noxious weeds at the cost of the landowner when the landowner does not. However, when the state is the landowner, the county cannot recover the cost. This bill will allow a county to place a lien on the state land and collect the cost it spent to control the noxious weeds.

Short added, “We should all strive to be better neighbors. The private land owner doesn’t get to pass off responsibilities to their neighbor – the state shouldn’t either.”

 

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Senate passes Economic Revitalization Act to boost rural economies

Olympia… On Wednesday the Senate passed the Economic Revitalization Act, a  bill designed to encourage economic growth in rural communities. This is the first bill sponsored by Sen. Shelly Short to pass the Senate since she was appointed 7th District senator on Feb. 1.

“Rural economies have been slow to recover.  Oftentimes, one-size-fits-all state laws and regulations create unnecessary roadblocks to job creation in our communities,” said Short, R-Addy. “This law simply allows rural communities the flexibility to consider job creation in their overall growth strategy.”

Senate Bill 5790  would provide rural counties and cities more flexibility under the Growth Management Act. It would allow counties and cities to adjust development plans to boost economic growth in times of economic deterioration.

The legislation also would allow counties to provide for job creation and economic development in their comprehensive plans and require the Growth Management Hearings Board to consider local elected officials’ economic-development decisions when their communities face economic hardship.

Short added, “I am proud that my first bill to pass the Senate would reduce barriers to growing our local economies and bring jobs back to rural Washington.”

Short sworn in as 7th District senator

OLYMPIA… Shelly Short was sworn in today as the 7th Legislative District’s state senator. Short was the unanimous choice of the district’s county commissioners to succeed former Sen. Brian Dansel, who resigned Jan. 24 to take a position with the Trump Administration.

“I wish former Senator Dansel the best in his new position,” said Short, R-Addy, who began the 2017 legislative session as one of the district’s state representatives. “It is a great honor to receive this appointment and I look forward to hitting the ground running.”

 

Short will serve on three Senate committees: Agriculture, Water, Trade and Economic Development; Energy, Environment and Telecommunications; and Local Government, of which she will be chair.

“While I am sad to leave my colleagues in the House, I look forward to working with them as a member of the Senate to solve the tough challenges our state faces this session,” Short said.

A lifelong Washingtonian, Short served four terms in the state House from the 7th District, which includes Ferry, Pend Oreille and Stevens counties and parts of Okanogan and Spokane counties.

She is a 4-H leader, has participated in the Colville Valley Gymkhana Club and enjoys skeet shooting, horseback riding, swimming and gardening.  Short and her husband, Mitch, live in Addy.  They have two adult children, Trevor and Brianna.